LATEST NEWS
Temperatures on the Rise, Despite Mid-Week Rain
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - Today:. The rainfall impact on the valley this past weekend was significant, leading to an overcast and humid weekend. Some locations on the Western Slope experienced just above half an inch of rainfall on Friday and Saturday. Montrose, in particular, received the most rainfall, collecting about 0.66″. It’s important to note that this data does not include Sunday due to the inconsistent rain patterns.
Disaster emergency declared for US 50 bridge closure over Blue Mesa Reservoir
Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera has verbally declared a disaster emergency after the U.S. Highway 50 bridge over the Blue Mesa Reservoir was closed last week. The declaration will help support the response and recovery with a coordinated framework for the statewide response to reopen the bridge. The declaration also initiated the process for requesting federal assistance which includes supplemental highway funding. The Colorado Department of Transportation shut down the bridge last week due to concerns for bridge safety after cracking was noticed. The bridge closure is located between Gunnison and Montrose from U.S. 50 mile marker 131, the intersection with Colorado Highway...
It is what it is….so show some grace
Ahhhh, the never surprising and always constant spring question is arising a bit earlier than usual this year — Is Kebler open yet? No. But it will probably be open as early as ever this year. And that is only because a calamitous structural defect discovered in a bridge crossing Blue Mesa Reservoir by the Dillon Pinnacles closed that bridge on April 18 making any quick trip between Gunnison County and Montrose pretty much impossible. It is what it is. Despite criticism from the conspiracy theorists trolling social media and people wondering why Joe Biden didn’t obviously see this coming and get on it a couple years ago, the response from state and local officials has been pretty darn good in a pretty bad situation.
KEBLER EFFORT:
County and state road crews started work this week to get Kebler Pass Road open earlier than normal. The hope is to provide another route between Gunnison and Montrose since Highway 50 is closed to traffic due to defects in the Middle Bridge. Thank an elf when you see them! Photo by Robby Lloyd.
Changes to child protective services in Montrose
MONTROSE, Colo. (KREX) — Montrose County’s Child Welfare Department held a public forum Wednesday to inform the community about a new approach to child protective services. The new approach, called differential response, gives responders the chance to partner with families, provide services, and create a softer approach. Program...
Berg: 'Come, Holy Spirit!'
In the time between the celebrations of Easter and Pentecost, an interim of 49 days, it is my privilege as bishop to travel southern Colorado over the western slope and administer the sacrament of confirmation. We have now completed 13 such celebrations in Durango, Pagosa Springs, Alamosa, Antonito, Capulin, and Pueblo; and are now moving into Grand Junction, Montrose, Gunnison, and points between. Each celebration brings from 14-50+ candidates, as young as 9 years and upwards, into...
High-mountain unpaved road provides partial solution to 354-mile detour in Colorado
A partial solution has been found for a massive six-hour 354-mile detour that's in place for those traveling between Montrose and Gunnison due to a cracked bridge along US Highway 50. According to the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office, County Road 26 will be open twice a day as of April 22 for critical local travel. The travel along this route will be managed through the use of pilot vehicles, which will be used to lead passenger vehicles along the road. ...
No timeline for Highway 50 bridge reopening
Kebler, Lake City Cutoff, boats all coming into play. Almost a week after suddenly closing the so-called Middle Bridge on Highway 50 near the Dillon Pinnacles there is no anticipated timeline for when the bridge might reopen to traffic. While not making any official projections, local and state officials are starting to prepare for a possible closure that lasts into the busy summer tourism season.
County and state to begin work this week on early Kebler Pass Road opening
County and state to begin work this week on early Kebler Pass Road opening. With Gunnison County Road 26 open as a limited detour around the closed Middle Bridge on Highway 50 near the Dillon Pinnacles, the county and Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will soon be moving some resources to Kebler Pass Road. The idea is to remove snow and shore up the road to get Kebler open sooner than normal to provide another route between Gunnison County and Montrose.
Shelter Distilling To Open New Location In Montrose, Colorado
Shelter Distilling, an artisan distillery based in Mammoth Lakes, California, has announced the opening of a new location in Montrose, Colorado. The distillery is known for distilling a range of spirits including gin, agave, whiskey, and bourbon. Following the establishment of the Mammoth Lakes location, Shelter Distilling experienced a rapid...
Fire on the mountain
A prescribed burn on 112 acres southeast of Ridgway took place Tuesday. The point of the blaze was to forestall a bigger one. The prescribed fire, part of the Baldy Mountain Landscape Resiliency and Habitat Improvement Project, had been in the works for over a year. “The exclusion of fire”...
Montrose elects new mayor
MONTROSE, Colo. (KREX) — Montrose City Council promoted Councilor J. David Reed to mayor during a city council meeting. Reed was chosen to succeed Barbara Bynum for the 2024-2025 mayoral term. Public Relations Officer for the City of Montrose William Woody explains to WesternSlopeNow how the mayor was selected.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.