DENVER GETS SOAKED, EXTREME DROUGHT CONTINUES IN THE REST OF STATE

Since the start of the year, Denver has received almost 8 inches of precipitation. That is more than double what the city gets by early May, and there is more in the forecast. It hasn't rained that much since the 1940s. However, the drought continues for western Colorado. The Colorado Climate Center noted for much of the Western Slope, this was the driest April on record. More than 60 percent of the state is in a severe drought, and swaths of the West Slope are in an exceptional drought, the worst category from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Colorado farmers and ranchers are heading into one of the driest planting seasons in the last 20 years.

GET A PIECE OF MONTANA, A LARGE PIECE, FOR $136 MILLION

The Climbing Arrow Ranch on the Madison River south of Bozeman, one of the largest private undeveloped properties in the Rocky Mountain West, is for sale for $136.25 million. The ranch is made up of five separate, noncontiguous parcels totaling some 80,000 acres. The ranch was featured in the Robert Redford movie, "A River Runs Through It," in 1992. There is a herd of about 2,000 Black Angus cattle, likely to be passed on to the new owner. The ranch includes seven modest ranch homes. The ranch was purchased in 1959 by Buck Anderson and has remained in the Anderson family for more than six decades.

DOW SOARS TO NEW RECORD HIGH ON POSITIVE UNEMPLOYMENT REPORT

Stocks rallied in the last hour of trading as investors reacted to a strong report on unemployment and sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average more than 300 points higher to hit a new record high of 34548.43. The moves also followed new data from the Labor Dept. showing that jobless claims had slipped below 500,000 last week for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic, an indication that the economy is continuing to recover. Investors will get a clearer picture on the jobs front on Friday when the Labor Dept. releases its April jobs report. Analysts predict U.S. employers added 1 million jobs last month.

RUEDI RESERVOIR FACES LOW WATER LEVELS THIS SUMMER

“It’s not good at all.” Those are the words of Tim Miller, a. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation hydrologist who manages water levels at Ruedi Reservoir to describe the results of a warm, dry April. According to Miller, the snowpack in the upper Fryingpan Valley was only about 60 percent of median as of May 1. Forecasts are for runoff into the reservoir to be only about 55 percent of average. Ruedi is now about 60 percent full. It holds 102,000 acre-feet of water and current projections are for it to reach about 90,000 acre-feet this summer.

IT'S TIME FOR LIGHTS TO COME DOWN IN ASPEN NEIGHBORHOODS

The city of Aspen has ordinances in place that permit outdoor lighting on the exterior of homes and landscaping from Nov. 15 through March 1. City officials are now making an effort to notify those with lights that are still up that they are violating the municipal land use code. The city has included an insert in the bills of the nearly 4,000 city utility customers about taking down lighting and has contacted property management companies and other property managers about the law. Those who do not comply could be subject to a daily fine of up to $2,650 or jail time.

EXPANDED ELECTRONIC WASTE FACILITY OPEN IN GRAND JUNCTION

On Thursday, the expanded CORRecycling facility opened at 710 Arrowest Road in Grand Junction. CORRecycling is an electronics recycler and serves the entire Western Slope. During the pandemic year of 2020, the recycler has seen a 300 percent increase its collection of computers and laptops. In Carbondale, CORRecycling collected 31,600 pounds in four hours. In Delta, where normally the collection is about 8,000 pounds, CORRecycling took in 18,000 pounds during the last collection. The new facility will allow a recycling space of 5,000 square feet compared to the 1,000 square feet that CORRecycling had previously.

IT'S TIME TO BUY JUCO TICKETS

This year the Alpine Bank Junior College World Series returns to Suplizio Field, beginning May 29 and today is the last day for those who had reserved seats in 2019 to renew those seats for the 2021 JUCO World Series. So far, about $130,000 has been received in renewals. Tomorrow morning, all remaining reserved seats will go on sale, as well as single-game tickets. Fans can buy tickets at jucogj.org. Tickets can be sent to a smartphone to be scanned at the gate, emailed or printed out.

SMALLER, MORE INTIMATE MOUNTAINFILM: TICKETS GO ON SALE MAY 19

Memorial Day weekend last year in Telluride was a precursor of the entire summer, basically a shut-down as there was no Mountainfilm, which normally launches the summer season. This year, Mountainfilm organizers are planning a small, intimate, but in-person Mountainfilm. The lineup of some 20 feature-length films and more than 100 short films, along with other in-person events was released Monday. Tickets must be reserved in advance for $20 per screening or per event, and ticket sales begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 19.

RED FLAG WARNING TODAY, EAGLE COUNTY HAS STAGE 1 RESTRICTIONS

The National Weather Service in Grand Junction has issued a Red Flag Warning today from noon to 7 p.m. for virtually all of the Western Slope. The Red Flag Warning is in place for all areas below 8,500 feet in elevation, with gusty winds, low relative humility and dry fuels forecast. Whenever a Red Flag Warning is issued, Eagle County institutes higher fire restrictions and for Friday, the entire county will go under Stage 1 restrictions. The Stage 1 restrictions include: no personal fireworks use, all fires on public or private land must be in a permanent fire ring, fire pit or grate, and no smoking in areas that have not been cleared of combustible materials.

SUMMIT COUNTY NEARING GOAL OF 70 PERCENT VACCINATION RATE

Summit County Public Health Director Amy Wineland provided an update on vaccinations and the overall COVID-19 pandemic situation during a board of health work session Thursday. Wineland said case numbers have dropped consistently and substantially since the end of March and the positivity rate continues to be below 5 percent. Summit County has had a goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the population and currently, more than 60 percent of county residents are full vaccinated and nearly 74 percent have received at least one dose.

SPENDING ON MOM – IT'S MOTHER'S DAY SUNDAY

The National Retail Federation has conducted an annual Mother's Day spending survey since 2003. This year:

• 83 percent of consumers plan to celebrate Mother's Day in 2021
• Shoppers plan to spend $220.48 on Mom
• That is $16 more than they planned to spend last year and the highest amount in the history of the survey
• Total spending on Mother's Day 2021: $28.1 billion

Top 3 gift categories this year:

• 72 percent cards
• 49 percent special outings
• 68 percent flowers

ALPINE SHRED DAY IN TELLURIDE MAY 10

Alpine Bank - Telluride, at 120 S. Pine St., invites the community to an on-site shredding event to securely dispose of your unwanted documents and personal information. We will also be accepting donations for the True North Youth Program. The event takes place on Monday, May 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shred old bank statements, old medical records, canceled or blank checks, credit card statements and personal bills. Staples or paperclips do not need to be removed. There is a maximum of four boxes per household and business. All shredded paper is recycled. For more information call 970-728-5050, or visit the link below.

VOLUNTEER TO HELP WITH RIPARIAN RESTORATION

The Middle Colorado Watershed Council and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program are looking for volunteers to sign up for one or more of eight days of riparian restoration to plant native vegetation along the banks of Rifle Creek. Help get 3,700 native plants in the ground on any day(s) between May 8-16. Registration is required as spots are limited (social distancing followed). Ask your friends to sign up too, and bring gloves and water. Tools will be provided and lunch is included. This project will help restore ecosystem functions on Rifle Creek. Local community members, students, natural resource buffs, local landowners, gardeners, master gardeners, water professionals, and anyone interested in river health can be involved and follow the results of these efforts for years to come. Sign up at the link below.