News

• From Frogs to Solar Panels, the Energy Future of the Western Slope
• Telluride Ski Patrol One Step Closer to Striking
• 2026 EDM Concert Clears First Hurdle

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Telluride Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault of a Child

A 20-year-old Telluride man was sentenced to four years in the Colorado Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to sexual assault of a child.

Raef Cayden Buttars pleaded guilty to charges of: four counts of attempted sexual assault of a child, attempted internet exploitation of a child, and sexual exploitation of a child – all class 5 felonies. He also pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor – a class 1 misdemeanor, and providing alcohol to a minor – a class 2 misdemeanor.

The crimes occurred in San Miguel County.

The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement “this is a very sad and sensitive situation”. The office is not providing any information about the victim, and said they will not comment future at this time.

In addition to the prison sentence, Buttars was also ordered to pay over $8,000 in court fees and fines, and participate in treatment programs. According to the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, Buttars is currently being held in San Miguel County Jail, where he will remain until he’s transported to a Colorado Department of Corrections facility.

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From Frogs to Solar Panels, and the Energy Future of the Western Slope

Montrose, Colorado, resident Wayne Urbanas says he used to be afraid of frogs because someone told him they gave people warts. After watching friends handle frogs without consequence, Urbanas says his fear disappeared and he learned to love frogs. Urbanas compares this to the local fear of solar energy.

“There’s an unfounded belief in Montrose County that solar panels give us warts,” Urbanas said. “And in desperation, despite overwhelming public support, there is an intention to play the role of frog remover, while I think, in essence, what we should be doing is focusing on wart removal. As Commissioner Pond, we have a team of professionals that provide us with recommendations. So let’s be frogs and take the leap towards community-supported solar initiatives.”

In 2023, Montrose County implemented a solar energy moratorium due to a lack of local land-use codes and an expected influx of utility-scale solar projects. Neighboring San Miguel County enacted a similar moratorium while working on new regulations. By November 2023, 39 of Colorado’s 64 counties had solar land-use regulations. Montrose remains the only county with a moratorium. Despite a final draft of a solar land-use code, County Commissioners voted in July to extend the moratorium, citing a need for more public comment.

Montrose resident Ken Norris expressed concerns about solar reliability.

“I love solar, but it has its place. It’s unreliable,” Norris said. “When you look at the future of Colorado power, its plan is to shut down in the next six years all of our coal-fired power plants. They are reliable. They are dispatchable. They are over half of our reliable power supply. If we shut those down, and if we keep putting in unreliable power sources like solar, we’re going to have blackouts.”

Challenges for solar start at the community level. Without local officials’ support and community buy-in, solar projects often stall.

KC Becker, CEO of the Colorado Solar and Storage Association, said solar energy requires public adaptation.

“I think as we continue to educate people that it takes more than supporting clean energy in the hypothetical, it takes supporting clean energy in reality,” Becker said. “And that means, yes, you’re going to have to see wind and solar panels. I love that, the way wind and solar look. I think solar panels, to me, look like beautiful rippling lakes. And I just love the way that, you know, wind turbines look. I hope more people come around to that, because, you know, you don’t even notice as much when you see utility poles. You don’t notice as much when you’re driving on a highway. It just seems like a necessary thing. Well, renewable energy is a necessary thing, and we have to get used to the fact that it’s going to show up in the landscape.”

A 2024 report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado notes that utility-scale solar projects take four to five years to move from permitting to operation. The county-by-county approach has created a patchwork of regulations that challenge developers and landowners.

“There’s going to be places in the United States that are just going to be no notice solar, because that’s, you know, they heard something, some news network that no one watches,” said Dustin Mulvaney, a professor of environmental studies at the University of San Jose.

For Mulvaney, local values shape energy adoption.

“Southwest Colorado is different than Imperial County, which is different than Kern County, which is different than, you know, you name it, Esmeralda County,” Mulvaney said. “These are all very, very different places, and people value different things about those places. So you have to be conscious of where you’re going in the communities that are there.”

One community finding solutions is La Plata Electric Association, a utility co-op serving the greater Durango area. CEO Chris Hansen emphasized listening to community priorities.

“I think you first start by listening and learning, really trying to understand, you know, what are the important priorities of a particular county or particularly part of a county?” Hansen said.

LPEA recently bought out a 50-year wholesale power contract with Tri-State Energy, allowing the co-op to produce and distribute its own power starting next April. Hansen sees flexibility in renewable sourcing.

“That’s one of the great things about joining the RTO. I can now buy wind and solar and storage and geothermal and hydro from all over the region,” Hansen said. “We’ve got options that we’ve never had before, because we are out of the all-requirements contract via Tri-State. Lots of new options on the table. We’re going to be creative problem solvers and put together the best portfolio we can for our members.”

Hansen said balancing infrastructure placement and community expectations is key.

“There’s no doubt about it, as the Power Co-op, everybody wants 100% power reliability, and nobody wants a power line or substation anywhere near them. I get it. That is a normal sort of reaction, and it’s really just making sure we can balance out the two imperatives. We got to build some things to have good service, but we also want to make sure we’re putting them in the right place,” Hansen said.

LPEA plans to generate half of its energy from renewables, including a 1.7 MW community solar array in Durango and the 110 MW Dolores Canyon Solar project in Dolores County. Hansen remains optimistic about meeting future energy demand and cost goals.

This is the third story of a four-part series exploring solar energy hurdles in Western Colorado, from funding to policy to community values. Part four explores one individual taking solar energy into his own hands on sought-after land in Southwest Colorado.

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Telluride Ski Patrol One Step Closer to Striking

Telluride Ski Patrol is one step closer to striking as contract negotiations with the Telluride Ski Resort look increasingly uncertain.

“We continue to be baffled by the decision the company is making,” said Graham Hoffman, president of the Telluride Ski Patrol Union. Hoffman has served on the Telluride Ski Patrol for the past 10 years.

The union began contract negotiations with the Telluride Ski Resort in early June; their contract expired in August.

“We’re trying to get a contract. We’re out there working without a contract to set the mountain up, to open the mountain. Instead of offering the wages we’re looking for, they’re choosing to offer them to temporary workers,” Hoffman said.

The Telluride Ski Resort is currently hiring for a “ski patrol professional” position. The job description says the position is temporary “to ensure continued operations and as a precautionary measure due to a potential labor dispute with the Communication Workers of America Local 7781, United Mountain Workers.”

The pay for the position ranges from $24.50 to $37.50 an hour. Hoffman said that is in line with the union’s request.

“Those wages look like they came from our offer sheet,” he said.

Hoffman added that the union has learned Telski is paying for other employees on the mountain to receive Wilderness First Responder certification to maintain operations in the event of a ski patrol strike.

Hoffman called the actions “recklessly dangerous.”

“It’s tough to imagine anyone who’s not familiar with our terrain, or maybe they’re new to medical, showing up to your injury. I don’t think that’s a scene that anyone would want to see,” he said.

With those concerns in mind, last week the Ski Patrol Union voted unanimously to authorize a strike.

“It was great to see that solidarity, and know the solidarity that we have,” Hoffman said.

Hoffman noted the vote does not guarantee a work stoppage.

“If we’re moving closer, if we’re trending in the right direction, we would love to continue that dialogue. If we’re close on the 6th, by no means are we going to say ‘it’s 5 o’clock, nice try.’ We’ll continue to talk,” he said.

But he added that the union is losing confidence.

“Especially within the last few days, the last couple weeks, it doesn’t seem like the offer is going to improve significantly. We’re keeping hope,” Hoffman said.

In a statement to KOTO, Telski officials said in October they offered a compensation package including “a fair wage increase, skill-based premiums, and an increase in the equipment allowance.”

The statement added: “Many other teams perform essential, difficult, and often dangerous work—snowmaking crews, overnight groomers, lift maintenance, and lift operations. It is neither sustainable nor fair to create a special compensation category for one group under the pressure of a strike threat.”

The statement concluded: “We have deep respect for our Ski Patrol and recognize their critical role in keeping the mountain safe. Our goal is to reach a fair and equitable agreement—one that respects our patrol, is sustainable long-term, and protects the jobs and livelihoods of all employees who make this resort possible.”

If the Ski Patrol Union does go on strike, Hoffman said they will keep the community informed.

“In the event of a work stoppage we will be completely transparent with the community. This is not going to be a surprise, you’re not going to wake up the next day and be like ‘oh my god, the mountain is closed.’ We’ll make sure that’s well communicated as we take the necessary steps for that to happen,” he said.

As the union prepares for the possibility of a strike, it will hold a practice picket next week.

“We are not on strike. This is just practice. Unfortunately, these are the steps we now feel we have to take based on the actions of the company,” Hoffman said.

Ski Patrol and the Telluride Ski Resort have mediated contract negotiation meetings scheduled for Nov. 25, Dec. 5 and 6.

Telluride Ski Patrol will host a practice picket line on Monday, Nov. 24, from 7:30 to 11 a.m. at the entrance to Telluride by the school roundabout.

The Telluride Ski Resort is scheduled to open for the winter season on Saturday, Dec. 6.

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2026 EDM Concert Clears First Hurdle

Another two-night concert in Town Park next August has passed its first hurdle.

The Telluride Parks and Recreation Commission approved a request from Planet Bluegrass for an electronic dance music (EDM) concert in Town Park on Aug. 28-29, 2026.

“I’m in full favor of this. I loved the festival last year. It was awesome,” said JJ Ossola, chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, speaking at a meeting Wednesday.

“It was exactly what I’d like to see for the community in my 30 years here,” Ossola added.

Zach Tucker, vice president of Planet Bluegrass, said the concert will be similar to Camp Alderwild, the two-night concert the organization hosted in Town Park in August 2025.

“Telluride has quite a music canvas in the summertime. We wanted to add to that without negatively impacting what was already there. We landed on this cool EDM concert, that became Camp Alderwild. I think it brought a lot of positives to town from a cultural perspective, from an economic perspective. That’s the reason why we’re looking to bring this back,” Tucker said.

Planet Bluegrass has not confirmed an artist for the 2026 event but plans to feature music similar to EDM artist Of the Trees, who performed this year. The request is for a two-night concert with a 9,000-person capacity each night.

A major challenge for the 2025 concert was the overlap with the Telluride Mountain Run. Next year, there is an “extra” weekend in August, so the two events will fall on separate weekends.

At the meeting, the major topic of discussion was sound.

“It is a fact that EDM music is going to be more impactful because of the low frequency bass,” said Parks and Recreation Director Stephanie Jaquet. She said the town received nearly 30 comments this year expressing concern about noise levels.

The town hired Jereb Carter, an event producer with Symbiotic Events, to analyze ways to mitigate the sound. Carter acknowledged there will always be some impact on surrounding neighborhoods but said placement of subwoofers can help.

“The way the subs were configured — they weren’t in an array, they were stacked all together, so — they created one giant sound wave that went through the valley. By building out a sub array in a cardioid pattern, you spread out the sub ways and as the sub wave travels, they cancel each other out,” Carter said.

Prior to the meeting, town staff received written comments both in support of and opposition to the event.

Dan Gudal expressed concern about how late the music runs.

“Up until 8, I think you get very little complaints. Maybe people start complaining from 8-10. After 10, you can’t put the kids to sleep. It becomes a big impact,” he said.

Amy Levek, who lives across the street from Town Park, said the bass was unlike anything she had experienced.

“My windows shook. Some of the drywall nails came out of my ceiling. It was much more impactful than anything I’ve ever experienced,” Levek said.

Supporters also spoke. Sarah Friedberg said the concert represents a generational shift in music.

“For me, I grew up here. It feels like a passing of the torch. This is a new generation of music, a new genre. I think it’s really important to welcome that into this community. You hear people say ‘oh, when the Grateful Dead played back in the day.’ This feels like the next movement forward for a lot of people my age, which is really exciting,” Friedberg said.

While commissioners had questions and concerns about sound levels and the impact on surrounding neighborhoods, they were generally supportive of the event.

“Thinking outside the box and bringing a different experience was really cool. This allowed for people to get wowed. It was cool to see that. The eyes wide open and seeing that experience was refreshing,” said Parks and Recreation Commission member Tommy Thatcher.

Tucker said Planet Bluegrass is committed to addressing sound concerns.

“We’ve already got our team working on drawing up the sub plan as laid out and are prepared to come forward with the heat maps ahead of the next meeting. We’re going to be supporters and team players through all of this,” Tucker said.

Planet Bluegrass requested music to run from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., but the Parks and Recreation Commission scaled that back and approved music from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

At the meeting, the commission also approved increasing the Telluride Jazz Festival’s size from a medium festival to a major festival with a daily capacity of 6,000 people.

Both requests now go to the Commission on Community Arts and Special Events on Dec. 3 before advancing to the Telluride Town Council on Dec. 16.

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San Miguel Power Association to Raise Rates

The San Miguel Power Association will increase electric rates next month.

For residential consumers, the change includes a $5 increase to the monthly access charge, bringing it to $33 per month, and a 3-cent increase to the on-peak energy rate.

According to SMPA, the proposal is designed to balance cost recovery amid rising expenses while maintaining reliable service for members.

SMPA officials say a major driver of the increase is the continued rise in wholesale power costs, noting a 7.2% increase from its supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission. Officials add SMPA is also facing higher costs for materials, insurance and critical infrastructure upgrades.

The new rates take effect Dec. 15 and will appear on members’ January electric bills.

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GMUG National Forests Plan Prescribed Burns Through Spring

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests plan to conduct prescribed burns over the next several months.

Burns will take place across the GMUG, including the Groundhog Piles in the Norwood Ranger District — 13 miles southwest of Placerville near Groundhog Mountain along 611 Road — and the Baldy Mountain Piles in the Ouray Ranger District — one mile south of Ridgway near Baldy Mountain along Highway 550.

GMUG officials say they use prescribed fire to reduce overgrown vegetation and help protect communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfire.

Officials say work will likely continue through spring as conditions allow.

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Fort Lewis Student Government Approves Turning Point USA Chapter

The Associated Students of Fort Lewis College board in Durango has approved Turning Point USA as an official student organization.

For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, KDUR’s Jamie Wanzek reports.

Story begins at 20:43.

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Mountain West Immigrant Detention Rises, Impacting Local Families

Immigrant detention is rising across the Mountain West, and communities are feeling the effects.

In Teton County, Wyoming, about 100 people have been transferred from the county jail to Immigration and Customs Enforcement since March — a pace the sheriff describes as steady.

Among them is the husband of a Jackson woman — a home builder who has lived in the United States for nearly 30 years. He “was detained in July while out of town, despite having legal work authorization, no criminal record, and an active path toward citizenship.”

The woman spoke with KHOL’s Jenna McMurtry and Emily Cohen on the condition of anonymity.

They shared their reporting with Rocky Mountain Community Radio. The woman begins by describing the moment she learned he wouldn’t be coming home.

Story begins at 23:40.