Noticias

• Is it time to Chuck Chuck? Telluride thinks so
• The West End Roundup with The San Miguel Basin Forum
• County Distributes Community Grants

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Is it time to Chuck Chuck? Telluride thinks so

From disagreements with local governments, to allegations of sexual assault, a new article from the Denver Post details Chuck Horning, owner of Telski, and whether its time for Telluride to chuck….Chuck. I spoke with the Post’s Investigative Reporter Sam Tabachnick, who begins sharing how this story came together. 

KOTO News reached out to Telski for comment. They were not prepared by broadcast deadline.

Tabachnick’s full story on Chuck Horning and the Telluride community is available on denverpost.com

Story begins at :33

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The West End Roundup with The San Miguel Basin Forum

Today on the West End Roundup with the San Miguel Basin forum KOTO’s news team chats with editor Regan Tuttle. In today’s headlines: What Love Does in Rural Communities, Burro Race in the West End, and the Future of the Norwood School.

The San Miguel Basin Forum is a locally owned and operated newspaper out of Nucla Colorado. Visit SanMiguelBasinForum.com for biweekly news, events, and local happenings in the West End. 

Story begins at 4:57

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County Distributes Community Grants

San Miguel County commissioners approved $132,650 in community grants during their meeting Tuesday, trimming down from $159,500 in total funding requests. Fifty-one nonprofits and government entities applied for grants across three categories: general funding, the Department of Health and Human Services, and parks and open space.

Commissioner Anne Brown said she approached this year’s process with caution.

“I’ve always had a little bit of an uneasy feeling about it because I felt that some of the requests that we were fulfilling were pretty far outside of our mission and our job as a county,” Brown said.

She added that while the general fund is in surplus for the coming budget year, other county funds are not.

“If we, thank you Jared, add up all of the positions of our twenty funds or so forth, we end up in the red $800,000,” Brown said. “And so that’s a big number for us — for any organization to operate that kind of a deficit. I’m prepared to take a little bit more of a critical look at some of these requests.”

Commissioner Lance Waring agreed, saying this year’s budget is tight and requires careful prioritization.

“I agree this is a lean budget year and that we are going to have a hard time doing this,” Waring said. “I think that one of the parameters that’s really helped me think about it is to try to assess all the various requests in the light of what services are being offered that the county would otherwise have to provide, and with that kind of a baseline health, safety and welfare perspective.”

The general and Health and Human Services grants are funded through the general fund, while the parks and open space requests are supported by a dedicated mill levy.

Waring also raised the idea of setting a funding ceiling before discussing individual requests.

“I was going to ask you two if we wanted to try to establish a ceiling before we began our line-by-line discussion, and just agree that a number, perhaps the number that’s been recommended by staff, was the appropriate ceiling, and that no matter what adjustments we made that we would not end up over that amount,” he said.

Ultimately, commissioners agreed to evaluate the total at the end of the process. County Manager Mike Bordogna said the final figure — $132,650 — was in line with last year’s grant awards.

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Skeleton Discovered in Ouray County Home

The Ouray County Coroner and Sheriff’s Office were recently notified by a representative of an estate that a wired human skeleton was found in the garage of a deceased individual’s home in Ouray County.

The skeleton appears to be a medical display specimen. The coroner has arranged for an examination by a qualified public anthropologist at a public university, which is now pending. The examination will include an analysis of age, gender, ethnicity, and whether the skeleton is nonnative.

Upon completion of the anthropological examination, the coroner will also request a DNA analysis for forensic purposes and logging. No active criminal charges are pending at this time.

If non-native ethnicity is confirmed and the remains are unclaimed with no further forensic value, the coroner anticipates releasing the skeletal remains to the Colorado State Anatomical Board, in accordance with Colorado Revised Statute 24-80-1302.

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Telluride Celebrates Halloween With Community Events

Telluride is getting into the Halloween spirit this year with a full slate of community activities.

Festivities begin tomorrow morning with a family-friendly spooky story walk hosted by the Wilkinson Public Library, Pinhead Institute, Bright Futures, and the Telluride Historical Museum. From 10:30 to 11 a.m., participants can enjoy treats along the river trail starting at the library.

Later, the Telluride Fire Station 1 will host a Halloween celebration from 4 to 8 p.m. with free hot dogs, burgers, refreshments, candy, and safety glowsticks for trick-or-treaters.

The Telluride Choral Society and Telluride Arts will host “Scary-Oke” at Telluride Arts HQ from 4:30 to 7 p.m., featuring music, snacks, and a chance to perform your favorite spooky song.

Finally, the Telluride Historical Museum will hold its traditional “Halloween on the Hill” from 5 to 7 p.m.

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Health Insurance Premiums to Spike for Thousands of Coloradans

Starting Jan. 1, about 225,000 Coloradans will see their health insurance premiums double when federal tax credits expire. The increases affect plans sold through the state marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado.

Chandler Budlong-Springer with the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services says a new program may help offset the cost.

“The Colorado Premium Assistance Program will give a flat monthly discount to any individual who qualifies for financial assistance and has income between 100 and 400% of the federal poverty level,” Budlong-Springer said. “And what it will do is it will give a flat $80 discount off the cost of someone’s premium, and then $29 off for any subsequent family members who are also enrolled.”

Open enrollment for plans through Connect for Health Colorado begins Nov. 1.

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Colorado Sues Over Space Command Relocation

Colorado is suing the Trump administration again — this time over the president’s decision to move Space Command headquarters out of the state. CPR’s Caitlyn Kim reports.

Story begins at 18:24

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Western Slope Pow Wow Brings Regional Dancers Together

The second annual pow wow hosted by the Western Slope Native American Resource Center took place recently in Montrose.

Dancers from across the Mountain West competed in traditional styles, and organizers say plans are already underway for next year’s celebration.

For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, KVNF’s Brody Wilson has more.

Story begins at 19:24