STATE JOBLESS RATE DROPS IN APRIL

Employers in Colorado kept hiring people in April, adding 9,500 nonfarm jobs last month, compared with 6,500 in March. There were fewer people entering the workforce, and therefore, the unemployment rate dropped from 3.5 percent in March to 3.4 percent in April. The biggest employment gains came in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and financial activities. Over the past year, the state has added 49,100 payroll jobs and 65,000 additional people joined the labor force.

I-70 WINTER TIRE TRACTION BILL SIGNED INTO LAW

Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 1207 last week, placing requirements on motorists driving on Interstate 70 from Dotsero to Morrison from September through May to have winter tires or carry traction devices. Beginning Sept. 1, drivers of vehicles without four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive must have either snow tires (with or without studs) or all-season tires with a mud/snow designation. Owners of two-wheel-drive vehicles with standard tires can carry chains or an AutoSock set to comply.

RECRUITING MORE PEOPLE TO PLAY GOLF IN DENVER

The National Golf Foundation is launching a six-figure marketing blitz in Denver with the hope of converting the "latent demand" identified in Denver among "would-be" golfers into regular players. The NGF selected Denver for its eight-week pilot program, Welcome2Golf, because its surveys indicate nearly 650,000 people in the area who do not play golf are either very or somewhat interested in trying the game. There will be print ads in magazines and video spots on TV as well as a direct mail campaign, along with a website and "welcome centers" at 12 area courses.

DENVER BILLIONAIRE PAYS OFF STUDENT DEBTS OF MOREHOUSE CLASS OF 2019

Billionaire Denverite Robert F. Smith is the CEO and chairman of Vista Equity Partners and a philanthropist. He spoke to the graduating class of Morehouse College and announced to the class of about 400 graduating seniors that he and his family plan to pay off the student loans for the entire class. Smith earned a bachelor of science in chemical engineering at Cornell University.

WINTER RETURNS FOR THE END OF MAY

The National Weather Service in Grand Junction Sunday issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook and a Winter Storm Warning for the central mountains, including Aspen and Vail. The Winter Storm Warning is in effect from noon today until 6 p.m. Tuesday and calls for heavy snow at times with total snow accumulations of 10 to 20 inches above 9000 feet with lesser accumulations down to 7000 feet. A detailed map of the snowfall can be found at: www.weather.gov/gjt/winter.

TIME TO END WATERING RESTRICTIONS IN ASPEN?

Officials of the public works and utilities department of the city of Aspen are recommending that the Aspen City Council lift the water restrictions imposed last summer. Technically, Aspen is still under Stage II water restrictions that were imposed in August last summer and have never been lifted. In the memorandum to council, the city staff notes the amount of "snow-water" equivalent on Independence Pass is at 146 percent of average. A task force of city staff working on water issues will continue to meet throughout this summer.

WATER FESTIVAL BRINGS THOUSANDS OF FIFTH GRADERS TO GJ

The Western Colorado Children's Water Festival is expected to bring some 2,600 fifth-grade students from 45 schools in four counties to Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction on Monday and Tuesday. More than 375 water officials and experts from across the state will make presentations "designed to engage and educate students on the diverse uses and values of water in their individual lives, their community and the world…" The Children's Water Festival is in its 26th year. It is not open to the public.

MONTROSE MOVES UP TO 6TH PLACE IN WATER CONSERVATION CHALLENGE

In April, the city of Montrose participated in the 2019 Wyland National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation, the national challenge for conserving water and reducing the amount of hazardous waste entering watersheds and landfills. Montrose took 21st place in the challenge a year ago, and this year, Montrose moved up to sixth place in its population category (5,000-29,999). Montrose had 1,332 pledges, resulting in a savings of 5.4 million gallons of water, and a reduction of 38 pounds of hazardous waste from entering the watersheds.

BLM OPENS TIP LINE

The Tres Rios Office of the Bureau of Land Management has launched a "tip line" for people to report suspicious activity, vandalism or any other possible illegal acts on public lands. It is not for emergencies. People can make the reports by calling the tip line or emailing a specific BLM ranger address, which is automatically sent to law enforcement. Previously, reports made to the Tres Rios Office were left on voicemail and there was some lag time in responding to the calls.

WHITE WATER COMING: RELEASES FROM MCPHEE TO THE DOLORES

This week, the Dolores Water Conservancy District will begin 10 days of releases of water from McPhee Reservoir to the Dolores River to accommodate boaters over the Memorial Day weekend. The releases will start Tuesday and increase at a rate of 400 cubic feet per second per day until a flow of 1,200 cfs by May 24. That flow will be maintained until May 27, then be reduced to 800 cfs through May 30. There will be a managed released after May 30, but the amounts have not yet been determined.

ATTACKING RUSSIAN KNAPWEED IN WETLANDS IN S.W. COLORADO

The Bureau of Reclamation is working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Palisade Insectary to attack the noxious Russian knapweed in wetlands on the Colorado side of Navajo State Park and Simon Draw Wildlife Area in Montezuma County. The agencies will release the stem gall wasp to attack the invasive weed. The Russian knapweed has no agricultural or ecological value and displaces native plant species and can cause neurological disorders in some animals, including horses.

TRAIL USE IN STEAMBOAT

Last week, the Steamboat Springs City Council and 2A Trails Committee received the results of the survey conducted by RPI Consulting on trail use in Steamboat. RPI surveyed 730 trail users at seven trailheads on Emerald Mountain, Buffalo Pass and Spring Creek. The survey showed trail users were almost evenly divided between hikers and mountain bikers. Most of the trail users, 66 percent, lived in Steamboat year-round. Most locals, 82 percent, hit a trail daily or multiple times a week. While most full-time residents were on the trail for an hour or two; part-time residents were more likely to be on trails for two to three hours.

GOV. POLIS APPOINTS 7 OF 9 MEMBERS OF "NEW" COGCC

The legislature made sweeping changes to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in Senate Bill 181, which has been signed into law, including changing the mission of the commission. Gov. Jared Polis Friday appointed seven of the nine members of the COGCC in response to the changes in the commission for its first meeting scheduled for Tuesday. The members appointed Friday:
Returning members -

• Howard Boigon, an oil and gas attorney
• Erin Overturf, a deputy director of the clean energy program for Western Resource Advocates

New appointees -

• Brenda Haun, a veterinarian and rancher in Grover
• John Messner, a Gunnison County commissioner
• Liane Jollon, director of San Juan Basin Public Health, from Durango
• Mark Hopkins, retired Chevron Corp. engineer from Broomfield
• Pam Eaton, a renewable energy and conservation consultant and founder of Green West Strategies

Ex-officio positions from state government -

• Dan Gibbs, director of Department of Natural Resources
• Jill Hunsaker Ryan, director of the state's Department of Public Health and Environment

DENVER SPARKLES

The Downtown Denver Partnership Thursday gave a status report of downtown for 2018. Among the highlights:

• 26,000 people live in the downtown core of the Central Business District, Lower Downtown, Auraria, Golden Triangle, Ballpark and Central Platte Valley
• Population swells to 89,000 when these neighborhoods are added: Capitol Hill, Five Points, Highland, Jefferson Park, Sun Valley and Al Alma/Lincoln Park
• Total number of tech businesses operating downtown – 724
• Of the downtown area's record 138,970 jobs, 11,700 are tech workers
• Continuing growth: $3 billion in projects in 2018-19
• They will add 3.5 million square feet of commercial space
• 1,855 new hotel rooms
• 6,600 new residential units