A section of Downhill Drive in Steamboat Springs will close Monday as Colorado Department of Transportation crews work on an intersection improvement project at the road’s intersection with U.S Downhill Drive will be closed from US-40 to approximately 350 ft north of U.S for an anticipated four months; with the $7.5-million-dollar project expected to end of October Crews will undertake relocating a gas line clearing and grubbing activities as well as the removal of the existing asphalt,” according to a press release from the city Detours put in place by CDOT will allow access to surrounding businesses during the months-long closure waterline construction on Riverside Drive will continue with plans to reduce traffic to a single-lane with vehicles alternating intermittently in either direction through the duration of the Riverside Drive work “Night work starting in early June will be performed for utility striping and installation of traffic signal poles and mast arms Night work will occur during the hours of 7:30 p.m.-5:30 a.m The city also said the Steamboat Springs Transit stop at Riverside Drive and westbound Downhill Drive has been closed due to the construction activity A temporary stop will be served at the entrance to Whitehaven Mobile Home Park 40 and County Shop Road will be established when the Downhill Drive stop is closed,” according to the city Readers around Steamboat and Routt County make the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s work possible Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage By Brianna LeonardPublished: May 2025 at 2:56 PM MDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInSTEAMBOAT SPRINGS (KKTV) - Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) responded to a potential drowning in Steamboat Lake State Park on Saturday Steamboat Park rangers responded to a call for an overturned watercraft in the water just after 3 p.m they reportedly saw a small U-shaped inflatable float tube used for fishing often called a “bellyboat,” turned upside down in the water Park rangers reportedly found a person submerged underwater Park rangers removed the victim from the water and they were pronounced dead on the scene Witnesses reported the victim was fishing near the Rainbow Ridge day-use area on the west side of the park Steady winds with strong gusts were also reported at the time of the incident The Routt County Coroner will release the identity of the victim and the cause of death CPW reminds residents that Spring and early summer water activities can be dangerous they can quickly experience cold water shock CPW also reminds residents to wear a personal flotation device while participating in water recreation activities The company andCo Hospitality has announced a new lodging option for visitors to Steamboat Springs following the completion of renovations at the Steamboat Springs Suites on 1485 Pine Grove Rd The renovations and rebranding of property are just the start of improvements for andCo Hospitality in Steamboat Springs a public relations professional handling communications for the company She said the company also expects to move forward with renovations at its other Steamboat Springs property this summer the 58-room Legacy Vacation Resorts Hilltop has been fully renovated,” Augeri said “It has really cool touches of sustainability throughout and eco-friendly touches in every room.” used repurposed furniture crafted from the 1920s in the lobby area and is a Certified B Corporation which is a for-profit company that has been certified for meeting high standards of social and environmental performance “What people like to say about B Corps is they focus on a triple bottom line of people but they’re really utilizing the power of their business as a force for good to impact their workers The company is currently offsetting emissions across all of its resorts by purchasing carbon offsets that reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions She said the leadership is also exploring renewable energy options for all renovation projects, and are looking into both direct production as well as partnerships with city provided solar farms Their goal is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 The Fold’s launch reflects andCo Hospitality’s commitment to evolving the future of travel with three distinct brands that share the purpose of community and expands the company’s footprint while redefining what responsible hospitality means “The (Steamboat Springs properties) been under same ownership for years,” she said “What has happened is the brand ‘Legacy Vacation Resorts” went through an evolution The company’s three brands: Legacy Vacation Resorts The Local and The Fold hotels are now under the same umbrella The company also acquired a “digital-first motel concept” in Florida (A concept involving streamlining guest experiences through technology) and currently has eight different properties across the U.S. While the community and guests should expect a smaller carbon footprint as well as waste and water reduction programs they should also expect a terrific vacation experience “The new property has beautiful rooms with a full size kitchen that’s great for families that don’t want to have to go out every night “But then the core of the brand for The Fold is pushing the local community They want to make it easy for guests get out into the neighborhood and they want encourage people to visit the breweries They want to make it special for the guests and create this better flow for the circular economy.” as well as the company’s other Steamboat Springs property also offers living wage programs — which aim to ensure workers receive sufficient income to maintain a decent standard of living — and a business model that is set up to help the properties fit into the communities they serve “The Fold is about proving that sustainability and style can coexist beautifully and with plenty of personality,” said Alex Smith “We designed each location to feel like a true reflection of its community all while making more responsible travel choices accessible and affordable saving the planet should never be boring.” John F. Russell is the business reporter at the Steamboat Pilot & Today. To reach him, call 970-871-4209, email jrussell@SteamboatPilot.com or follow him on Twitter @Framp1966 Authorities are investigating a fatal incident at Steamboat Lake State Park after a Steamboat Springs man was found dead in the water on Saturday afternoon, according to a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife on May 3 to a report of an overturned watercraft and located a U-shaped inflatable fishing tube known as a “bellyboat,” floating upside down Further search led rangers to a person below the surface of the water still attached to the float tube by a safety strap The individual was removed from the lake and pronounced dead at the scene Officials noted that the person was not wearing a life jacket The victim later was identified as Gregory Bjorgum According to Routt County Deputy Coroner Jacob Custer official cause of death will be determined once an autopsy has been performed the incident occurred near the Rainbow Ridge day-use area Park officials are reminding the public to be cautious on the water when water temperatures remain cold despite warmer air They recommend always wearing a personal flotation device during water activities Editor’s note: This is a developing story More information will be provided as it becomes available Temperatures will rise up to 70 degrees this weekend in Steamboat Springs, according to local meteorologist Mike Weissbluth.In his twice-weekly report to SnowAlarm.com Weissbluth said Saturday should see temperatures in the upper-60s with mostly sunny skies Those heat readings will continue to rise to around 70 degrees on Sunday bringing a potential for showers into Sunday evening “There is a lot of uncertainty for next week regarding not only the track of the incoming eddy and its residence time in the West but also the amount of cold air that wraps into the back of the storm and the amount of moisture ingested into the front of the storm,” said Weissbluth Steamboat Springs police arrested two men last week after they allegedly targeted Hispanic males and used fake jewelry to rob them were arrested by Steamboat police Thursday Both are charged with felony robbery and misdemeanor bias-motivated crimes Officers responded to a report of fraud that allegedly occurred Thursday according to arrest affidavits filed with the Routt County Combined Court Responding officers met with the alleged victim and a friend who translated for him Additional translation services were provided by Integrated Communities The victim reported pulling over to make a phone call in the area of 725 South Lincoln Ave allegedly leaned into his car and “asked for money for gas,” according to court documents The victim told police Huh approached their car after exiting a silver Ford Expedition with Utah license plates “(The victim) stated that Huh then asked for money for gas to which (the victim) got out his wallet to give Huh gas money … Huh then took off the ‘gold’ necklaces he was wearing and told (the victim) they were worth $5,000 and attempted to give (them) the necklace,” according to an arrest affidavit the victim said he told Huh “no” but said he was intimidated by Huh “yelling in an aggressive manner at him for more.” The victim told officers that Huh did not “take back the necklaces and showed them to (police),” adding that he “did not ever want them.” the victim allegedly gave Huh $500 from his wallet “as he felt he didn’t have any other options,” according to an arrest affidavit The court documents further recount that after Huh left from the area of the victim’s car exited the same Ford Expedition “and also leaned through the window” of the victim’s car The victim reported that Alexandru showed him a “gold watch” and “stated that he too needed help,” according to court documents The victim told police that he “got scared” and handed Alexandru $100 and “then gave an additional $400 to Alexandru out of fear.” The victim also told police that both Huh and Alexandru spoke “good Spanish.” Steamboat police later found a connection between the incident and another report made April 30 after a “Hispanic male … reported that he was approached by a party with a large silver SUV matching the vehicle description provided by (the victim),” according to court documents the victim told police that a man approached him “selling ‘gold’ jewelry for gas money …” local police spotted the vehicle allegedly driven by Huh and Alexandru and executed a traffic stop Steamboat police interviewed the two men who allegedly admitted to “knowingly selling fake jewelry although they claimed they never said it was real,” according to a city news release Alexandru allegedly told police that he and Huh only sold the fake jewelry to Hispanic individuals police allegedly found several pieces of fake jewelry and over $2,500 in cash Both Huh and Alexandru produced licenses from the state of New York but they told officers their native language was Romanian Huh told officers that he and Alexandru were “just passing through from Grand Junction to New York and (were) in Steamboat because it was beautiful,” according to an arrest affidavit The two men posted $8,000 cash surety bonds after appearing in court on Friday Steamboat police said Huh was arrested by ICE agents after posting bond and remains in custody with the federal agency Alexandru also posted bond but was not arrested by ICE due to his asylum status Alexandru and Huh are scheduled to appear in Routt County court again on May 7 Steamboat police believe there are additional victims in the community who may have dealt with Huh and Alexandru and are asking anyone with information to contact the department at 970-879-1144 Editor’s note: Every person accused of a crime is presumed to be innocent unless and until their guilt is established beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law Trevor Ballantyne is the editor for the Steamboat Pilot & Today. To reach him, call 970-871-4254 or email him at tballantyne@SteamboatPilot.com. 1 doubles tandem of the Steamboat Springs girls tennis team exacted revenge on Vail Christian at the perfect moment.  After dropping a match to Vail earlier this season Lyla Baker and Leslie Jimenez found themselves toe-to-toe with Vail once again in the Class 3A Region 8 finals on Friday at Canyon View Park in Delta.  the Sailors had already punched their ticket to the state championship but this match was about securing a higher seed for state and taking down their rival.  earning the title of regional champions.  “To lose to Vail in the season in a dual match and then beat them pretty handily shows the improvement they made,” head coach Jason Scicchitano said “Hopefully we’ll take that into state.”  the girls contributed their regional success to the court chemistry they have gained throughout the season.  “Our communication has gotten really good and we are really good at lifting each other up,” Baker said “There were a lot of times in that match where it was really tough and we had to really fight it out.”  spent the first two seasons of her high school career as a singles player She found the mental side of her game take a huge positive swing once she teamed up with Jimenez on the doubles court for the first time.  “For me it is so easy to spiral downward and get super lost in my own thoughts,” Baker said “It has been really nice because Leslie is such a positive person so it’s been nice having someone who is there all the time and can see when I’m starting to get in my head and get me out of that zone quickly.”  Baker plans to work on poaching at the net and switching sides as she approaches her first state championship Jimenez is no stranger to the state championship having reached the milestone now in all three of her high school seasons.  “I’m usually not very comfortable playing at the net and this season I worked a lot on my volleys and being more aggressive at the net to put the point away,” Jimenez said.  1 doubles team will be Abby del Haya — who placed second at No 2 singles — as well as Taylor Rockford and Vanessa Dorr — who placed second at No the girls placed second in regionals behind Vail Christian Scicchitano was proud of the team’s performance and said the state qualifiers are already preparing for Colorado high school’s biggest stage.  “Their personalities are even better than the results they put out on the court,” he said.  ResultsGirls Tennis Class 3A Region 8 TournamentCanyon View Park Lyla Baker and Leslie Jimenez — defeated Glenwood Springs 6-2 Taylor Rockford and Vanessa Dorr — defeated Basalt 7-6 Emily Lopez and Elsa Damore — defeated North Fork 6-4 Sammy Richman and Aleida Richter — defeated Cedaredge 6-4 Attorneys representing a 17-year-old from Steamboat Springs who is accused of stabbing a local woman in April 2024 requested Friday that the juvenile be transported to Routt County for his next court appearance in a case that may go to trial The juvenile, Holt LeMaster, was arrested April 23, 2024 after allegedly breaking into a home on Mark Twain Court where a local preschool teacher, Kylie Leggett LeMaster allegedly stabbed Leggett twice in the abdomen LeMaster was charged with criminal attempt to commit murder in the second degree assault in the first degree and criminal attempt to commit first-degree burglary In early March, 14th Judicial District Court Chief Judge Brittany Schneider ruled that LeMaster would be tried as an adult. That ruling came after almost a year of deliberation after prosecutors filed a petition to try LeMaster as an adult on April 30, 2024 Leggett was alone in the home where she was house-sitting when LeMaster tried to enter the property through a sliding glass door Leggett opened the sliding door and “began pushing at the intruder and screaming,” then “she felt something wet,” according to court documents The intruder then allegedly “ran off” and Leggett locked the door and called 911 Leggett allegedly said she “did not feel pain immediately but recalled feeling blood,” according to court documents The court document adds that Leggett was in the hospital for a month and underwent five surgeries Leggett will also likely have a “portion of her pancreas removed at some point which will render her diabetic.”  (Leggett) was a healthy young woman,” states Schneider’s court order among other medical and psychological ailments (Leggett) is unable to eat normally and will be unable to bear children.” LeMaster has remained in custody at the Grand Mesa Youth Services Center in Grand Junction without bond Public Defenders Kate Bush and Chris Hamsher stated that they plan to file a motion to transport LeMaster from Grand Mesa Youth Services Center to the Routt County Jail to appear in person for his next court date in June Deputy District Attorney Joseph Bucci stated that he “imagines” the prosecution and defense will “set up for a trial” during LeMaster’s next court appearance The current direction of the case pivots from previous plea deal negotiations, which were reportedly in discussion during a status conference in March The 14th Judicial District Attorney’s office declined to provide comment on the direction of the case following the court proceedings on Friday afternoon Bush also stated LeMaster will be turning 18-years-old on June 19 and will be eligible for bond once he is a legal adult Bush added that LeMaster would likely continue to be held with no bond LeMaster’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 2 “As frustrated as everyone may be about this being delayed again we need to keep in mind that this is the legal system,” said Leggett following the proceeding And I want to do the community and myself right I want to make sure that I can keep us safe Leggett said she hopes LeMaster stays in custody for the safety of the community and because she continues to deal with the effects of the stabbing every day noting that she consistently has to go to the hospital for check-ups and health complications but I don’t feel fine,” she said and I’m still having a ton of complications and (LeMaster) doesn’t deserve to be out.” “I just want to thank the community again,” Leggett continued “I always feel their support.” To donate to Leggett’s GoFundMe dedicated to her recovery, visit GoFundMe.com/f/Support-Kylies-Road-to-Recovery.  Steamboat Springs boys lacrosse closed the regular season Thursday night with what will perhaps be their biggest battle of the year The Sailors were matched up with undefeated Aspen a team that beat the Sailors earlier this season Steamboat got off to a slow start in the regular season dropping games against a stacked opposing schedule early on Those games helped push the Sailors to get better and progress rapidly through the season.  the Sailors won seven of their last eight games including wins over Battle Mountain and Vail Mountain That winning streak came to a close Thursday night after the Sailors dragged the Skiers to an overtime sudden-victory finish Ultimately it was Aspen who would prevail 8-7 to finish the regular season undefeated It was the tightest game Aspen played all season a squad that will almost certainly earn the No Steamboat honored its senior athletes before the game Its six varsity seniors include Finn Baier; Seamus Malia; Baron Fleming; Jeffrey Sturges; George Redfern; and Jake Davidoff The Sailors take a 9-6 record and +24 goal differential into the playoffs 9 on the RPI rankings but will learn of its official seed on Sunday when the Colorado High School Activities Association releases the playoff brackets To reach Tom Skulski, call 970-871-4240, email tskulski@SteamboatPilot.com. the First Friday Artwalk returns to Steamboat Springs with blossoms of creative energy amid unique perspectives celebrates local artistic talent and community-based connections Friday at art galleries throughout Steamboat features artistic expression ranging from large-scale visual statements to intimate reflections on memory will present “Large Works,” an all-gallery showcase by the group’s collective body of artists The exhibit will feature large-scale pieces across a range of mediums including painting “Large Works” explores the power of scale while also providing viewers an opportunity to engage with pieces that demand attention through their transformation of space will offer craftsmanship of local artists working at an ambitious and inspiring scale.  For more information, visit PineMoonFineArt.com The Schoonover Gallery welcomes painter Terry Meyer whose five-decade career blends various media ranging from steel sculpture to watercolor Meyer’s current works in oil and watercolor reflect a deep connection to the movement and energy of the environment.  “Terry is new to Schoonover Gallery and reflects amazing contemporary art reflective of Steamboat and its character,” said Ray Schoonover combine nature-inspired themes with delicate brushstrokes to bring a fresh take to the gallery’s signature “mountain contemporary” style.  For more information on the Schoonover Gallery, 929 Lincoln Ave., visit SchoonoverGallery.com and above Del Mezcal’s rear entrance The Alley continues its quest to bring viewers surprises in their humble owner-artists Ann Feldman and Jill Bergman turn their focus and talents towards the natural world with a selection of wildlife-themed works Highlights of the show include paintings from Feldman’s Steamboat Babies series and Bergman’s intricate linocut “Pika’s Bouquet,” which is a celebration of local wildlife invites visitors to view the work inside the artists’ working studios which offers a unique and rare chance to connect directly with the makers behind the art in the space where they create it this month honors one of its own during Military Appreciation Month as Navy veteran and Colorado native Pete Wood shares his paintings which connect outdoor adventure with his two-decade experience in the Navy The exhibition highlights the role of art in healing and transformation particularly for veterans following their service to the country.  “Art gives me both a challenge and a joy,” said Wood “And that joy multiplies when others connect with it.”  His work balances landscapes with deep personal narratives while also creating a platform for veterans in the broader arts community “Many people may not realize how veterans use art for healing “I want to help show that military veterans are more than their service Amanda Blickensderfer brings rebellious wit with her solo show “un-serious business.” Drawing from her childhood in Pueblo Blickensderfer uses her work to push against the established tones of contemporary art “The art world can feel like a stage where specific emotional responses are expected,” she said “This show is my rebellion against that But within that experience lies true emotional depth for the viewer as well as the opportunity to explore new mental pathways It’s where I finally get to be the confident witty person I imagine myself as,” she said Visit SteamboatCreates.org/Depot-Art-Center/About to learn more about the venue and its featured artists for May Whether visitors are seeking oversized canvases stories of service and recovery or a lighthearted break from everyday life this month’s First Friday Artwalk has something to offer to everyone as it continues to serve as a celebration of Steamboat’s creative spirit and the community that keeps it thriving For a full map and list of participating venues, visit SteamboatCreates.org/Events/Steamboat-Creates-Events/First-Friday-Artwalk It is said that the best person to get lots of things done That would make Program and Events Coordinator Nash Welch A South Carolina native and Colorado Mountain College grad Welch plays backstop to other center staffers in areas like sports and art classes but he has primary responsibility for special events around town — the center’s theater and stage complex Farmer’s Market on Thursdays this summer (starting June 5) and the community garden downtown.  “Nash is doing a fantastic job for us,” said Rhonda Sweetser “He jumps right in and gets things done.” Welch helped with the town’s Easter egg hunt Welch said kicking off the season’s first Farmer’s Market is his next big challenge “We have lots of room for more vendors,” said Welch adding that vendors attend to sell items that range from tie-dye T-shirts to locally grown vegetables and meats And don’t forget the food trucks that are likely to show up Welch said there will be a street dance and a creation station where kids and grownups can explore the creative process featuring a fishing derby and archery contest Hayden Days take place July 18-19 at Dry Creek Park Welch said priorities in his role include signing up gardeners for the community garden and lining up instructors for art classes “We have room for pretty much any class you can think of,” he said is how to get the center’s theater and stage busier The old high school auditorium has been dramatically upgraded with 230 new seats and computerized light and sound systems not to mention large doors at the back of the stage for theater sets to roll on and off Welch envisions opportunities like school and community theater and music performances; perhaps even attracting speakers performers and performances from Steamboat venues “There’s really no limit what we can do,” he said Those who have a food truck and want to set up and sell at various parks and events this summer in Steamboat Springs Applications and vendor requirements are on the City of Steamboat Springs website Vendor Application Press Release from the City of Steamboat Springs; May 1 Order Up For City Park Mobile Food Permits Mobile Food Service Applications Available in Six Park Locations 2025-Potential merchants need to strike while the gridle is hot to obtain a permit as a mobile food vendor to provide food and/or non-alcohol beverages in various city parks through the summer “Steamboat Springs is no different than other cities across the country that have seen a proliferation of mobile food options and their popularity,” said Parks Supervisor Johannes Thorsen “These locations see a steady stream of users throughout the summer and could be a prime location for mobile food vendors to tempt tastebuds and share their culinary creations.” Individuals who wish to operate a mobile food establishment (food truck, tricycle, cart, trailer, wagon, etc.) for walk-up customers in one of six city parks must fill out an application and secure one of the limited numbers of mobile food permits Permitted vendors may conduct business between 7am and 9pm at the following parks: River Creek Approved holders are permitted to two vendors at a time in River Creek and Howelsen Mobile Food Vendor licenses are issued for a period of one year and may be renewable for successive periods of one year upon payment of the annual $270 license fee The permit allows vendors to operated May 31 – October 31 and must be renewed annually special events permitted by the city may restrict access to mobile vendors not associated with the event mobile food vending is prohibited during the following events: Applications, vendor requirements and maps of each park can be found online and must be returned to Parks & Recreation Don’t wait because these permits will be 86’d from the menu due to the limited availability –WeServeTheCity– The college experience was about resiliency for Colorado Mountain College graduate Shantele Mitchell she counted money for a bank and found herself yearning to count something more meaningful — like heartbeats.  Mitchell is considered a “non-traditional” CMC student who worked full-time while pursuing her associate degree in nursing.  Mitchell stood in front of 199 of her fellow CMC Steamboat graduates to deliver a graduation speech during the school’s 2025 commencement ceremony at The Steamboat Grand.  She spoke of her life prior to college and described how much she has transformed as a person since then She wished a similar transformation upon her classmates and attributed the change to her resilient nature.  “Resilience is like driving through a Colorado blizzard You can’t see more than five-feet but you keep going because you know the road is ahead,” Mitchell said in her speech.  Following Mitchell was graduate Ella Dumke one of 12 graduates of CMC’s new human services program.  Dumke brought energy to the microphone and was tempted to recite Elle Woods’ graduation speech from the film “Legally Blonde” — but opted to write one from the heart instead and spoke of looking to support systems in times of need and finding elevated surfaces for dancing with friends at any moment “Community is showing up; it’s support; accountability; it’s laughter; it’s dancing under the stars,” Dumke said.  certificates and diplomas between the summer of 2024 and the end of the spring 2025 semester The graduates are now entering the world with the tools needed to chase their dreams.  no matter how dark the world feels sometimes there is still so much worth living for,” added Dumke let’s go create something worth living for.” your event must be in Routt County and fit into at least one of the following categories: • Events must be submitted by noon to be included in the next day’s paper. (Events print in chronological order as space allows.)• To submit an event, click the blue “+ Add Event” button below or find detailed instructions here.• Submissions will be edited for brevity The Steamboat Springs Police Department and other first responders are conducting an active shooter training this weekend at Howelsen Ice Arena Steamboat police say the community should expect an increased law enforcement presence in the area of Howelsen Ice Arena on Saturday and Sunday A child abuse case against a Steamboat Springs daycare teacher will continue next month following a review of the evidence at a Wednesday status conference Alma Montes, 26, was arrested Feb. 7 and charged with one count of child abuse for allegedly grabbing children by the arms and legs and scratching them, according to an arrest affidavit. Parents were asked to pick up their children from the Steamboat Springs daycare facility, Young Tracks Preschool and Day Care Center, early on Feb. 11 after the state’s Department of Early Childhood suspended its license to operate The affidavit further states that witnesses had seen Montes “lay on the children to make them fall asleep.” The license suspension order states that “staff and/or the director of the facility were aware of child abuse allegations and failed to report them to the county and/or law enforcement,” and “child abuse in the facility has been happening for approximately one to two years.” has allegedly “known about the abuse and has interfered with parents contacting the department or law enforcement and parents were afraid to come forward,” according to the suspension order witnesses also reported noticing “bumps” on the backs of students’ heads from “hitting their head on the wall after (Montes) aggressively handled them.” The Routt County Department of Human Services provided police with photos of injuries that showed “fresh” scratches that “broke skin” and bruises that were “dark in color,” states the affidavit The affidavit also states that one witness provided to police a video of Montes “hitting a kid and being rude.” stated that she and District Attorney Matt Karzen have reviewed over 400 “items of discovery,” which refers to the exchange of evidence in the pre-trial process Marczak-Grande also noted that she has “received another couple dozen items of discovery” that need to be reviewed by both the prosecution and defense “We continue to review the evidence in this matter and maintain that Ms Montes is entitled to the presumption of innocence and a fair legal process,” said Marczak-Grande in a statement Marczak-Grande stated that she and Karzen will meet to discuss the evidence and direction of the case Montes’s next court date is scheduled for 10:30 a.m Historic Routt County is continuing its efforts to repair and restore the iconic Maxwell-Squire building in downtown Steamboat Springs by applying for History Colorado State Historical Fund grants In late January, a vehicle crashed into the building after the driver experienced a medical emergency causing extensive damage to the front of the building Lyon’s Drug, the ground-floor business that took the brunt of the damage, was left to deal with the aftermath of the crash and navigate daily operations while undergoing repairs The store closed for six days following the crash a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving Routt County’s historic structures works to apply for grants on behalf of eligible private property owners The organization quickly applied for and was awarded an emergency grant from the History Colorado State Historical Fund According to Historic Routt County Executive Director Kristen Rockford engineers and contractors work to stabilize the building During the six days that Lyon’s Drug was closed the walls were shored up and temporary beams were installed to support the second floor. The front entrance to Lyon’s Drug has remained closed since the crash but the business continues to operate with its typical hours despite its appearance the nonprofit is hoping for a second grant from the History Colorado State Historical Fund to jump-start repairs on the building this summer “It takes a lot of money and love and intention to keep and maintain historic buildings,” said Rockford defining that beautiful historic character of Steamboat that we love and adore so much.” The Maxwell-Squire building was constructed in 1908 and has been home to many local businesses including the Steamboat Springs post office from 1909-1962 which received its last facelift around 10 years ago now houses local coffee shop Beard and Braid and Lyon’s Drug on the ground floor along with 12 other businesses on the second floor is funded through a portion of the gaming tax revenue collected through gambling the state fund has awarded a total of over $365 million through over 5,000 grants across Colorado since 1990 According to Historic Routt County’s grant application summary the organization is proposing to “repair the building back to its original design intent following the (U.S.) Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.” The organization is also proposing upgrades to the building such as restoring windows to reflect historical accuracy replacing light fixtures and restoring and repairing exterior woodwork a local designer working with Historic Routt County on the Maxwell-Squire building project said construction and repairs will begin in August if the grant is awarded The restoration process is expected to last about six months Hewitt added that the restoration project will not significantly affect Beard and Braid but the front door to Lyon’s Drug will remain closed “The goal is not to affect the businesses and get that sidewalk open as soon as possible but also to make sure the repairs are done properly,” said Hewitt the “biggest hangup” in the restoration process has been seeking grants which can take several months to apply for and receive Recipients of the latest State Historical Fund grants will be announced June 13 If Historic Routt County is awarded the grant progress on the restoration projects will begin as soon as possible “Everyone has been working really well together on this,” said Hewitt “There’s been so much support for getting this building back up and running and fixed … The support for this project from not just the business owners themselves We’re excited to get going and get it all done.” The Steamboat Springs girls tennis team is geared up and ready to travel to Delta for the Class 3A Region 8 Championships on Thursday and Friday at Canyon View Park.  The Sailors are sending all four of its doubles teams to regionals while only two of three singles players will compete due to an injury at No 1 doubles pairing of Leslie Jimenez and Lyla Baker enter regionals as the No 2 singles) have also earned the second seed for the tournament Steamboat Springs will go up against players from Aspen North Fork and Vail Christian at the regional competition.  Steamboat’s lone loss within the division came to Vail Christian Both del Haya girls will start the regional event against their Cedaredge equivalent Neither had any issues handling those opponents in the regular season.  Jimenez and Baker will look to exact revenge against Glenwood Springs at No 1 doubles in the first round after losing to the Demons in the regular season due to a walkover.  Other Sailors to compete at regionals include No 3-seeded Taylor Rockford and Vanessa Dorr (No 4-seeded Sammy Richman and Aleida Richter (No The top two singles players and doubles teams from each line at regionals will advance to the individual state tournament The 3A State Tournament runs May 8-10 at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs Steamboat Springs girls lacrosse celebrated its three seniors Wednesday night in a 16-0 victory over Eagle Valley at Gardner Field.  Cat Bowman and Wylie Bonelli — and Bonelli has committed to furthering her lacrosse career at Fort Lewis College in Durango.  Grove led the charge for the Sailors with five goals in the game found her way on offense for parts of the game adding a goal and assist to the stat sheet “We tried really hard to make it a point to have all three of those girls on the draw circle for the last couple draws,” head coach Liz Diefendorf said after Wednesday’s game “It was really fun to see them all in the mid-field though they don’t all necessarily play mid-field otherwise.”  Diefendorf decided nothing good could come out of running up the score Not long ago it was the Sailors on the other side of the scoreboard Diefendorf wanted the girls to focus on working the ball around on offense and make well-timed cuts without finishing on a shot.  “That is a concept we have had to work to master,” she said “We don’t have a shot clock at the high school level so there are some situations where we want to stall For a long time we were confusing slowing the ball down and settling lacrosse with standing still.”  Grove reflected on the greatest support systems of her career “All my coaches have supported me through both my injuries Obviously my family has been really supportive Every single girl has been so kind with me not being on the team last year and welcoming me back with open arms has been great,” Grove said “That’s what makes our team so special is we’re all really close and have a lot of fun together.”  helping lead a team considered to be in a “rebuild season” to a No The girls have won the most games the program has seen since 2017 with a chance to tie that 11-win record in Friday’s regular-season finale against Golden.  The team plans to treat the game as if it were the playoffs It will learn its official seeding on Sunday with the first round beginning Tuesday night They followed up with second-round action in 2024 they are targeting Round 3 and beyond.  “I think playoffs from the past will fuel our playoff this year,” Grove said “We might even get a bye in the first round We are all excited and planning our weeks around it The past seasons are going to fuel us to go even farther this year.” Sand stations are available in Steamboat Springs as water levels rise and impact different rivers and creeks in the Yampa Valley different areas surge at different times with the Yampa River generally hitting its peak in late May or early June,” said Streets Superintendent David Van Winkle in a statement “We’re just ending April and with a lot of snow remaining at higher elevations we’ll be monitoring areas for flooding until those peaks are reached over the coming months,” he added A city news release noted the Yampa River’s flow this week is hovering around 1,000 cubic feet per second with water temperatures remaining cold between 40-50 F The city’s streets division supplies sand and sandbags for residential properties within city limits Commercial properties and residential neighborhoods with frequent needs must acquire their own sandbags Sand stations are available as needed to city residents at the following locations Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue controlled a wildfire Thursday evening south of Milner near Routt County Road 179 the fire department was called to an agricultural burn that grew after increased winds shifted direction and contributed to the growth of the fire Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue responded with a Type 1 structural engine a water tender and two Type 6 wildland engines After assisting the U.S. Forest Service with a prescribed in the area of Rabbit Ears Pass one of the wildland brush engines and crews was able to respond directly to the incident Ten firefighters arrived on the scene and were able to tame the four-acre fire about an hour after the call was made The last unit cleared the area a 9:36 p.m. The news release adds that crews would return to the scene Friday afternoon to check for hot spots and confirm the fire is fully extinguished “We’re seeing an early melt off of snow and without much greened up yet the spring transitional timeframe requires extra caution and preparation as burns can change rapidly,” said Deputy Fire Chief Joe Oakland in a statement “The property owner did the right thing by calling for help quickly and we were able to extinguish the fire before it significantly grew.” Outdoor gear manufactures have climbed to new heights in the Colorado Rockies but in the wake of recent tariffs announced by the Trump administration owners of Steamboat Springs outdoor gear brands are looking to find footing in an increasingly uncertain world “We are an American manufacturer, we manufacture in Steamboat Springs which is a pretty rare thing,” said Andrew Beckler who owns Grass Sticks a business that manufactures and sells bamboo ski poles and Stand-up paddleboard paddles “American manufacturers still import raw materials and components from overseas and there’s nothing that is entirely made in the U.S.” he would buy the parts needed to build his products from domestic suppliers “You can’t just turn on a switch and make America manufacturing happen for everything,” Beckler said “These tariffs are going to put small businesses out of business because they can’t adjust that quickly The bigger businesses might be able to hang on because they have cash Grass Sticks has already placed the production of SUP paddles on hold this summer and Beckler is encouraging those wanting a paddle to get one before inventory runs out “I’m not ordering any more paddle blades and we are about to go out of stock — probably in a week Then we will not have any paddles for the rest of the summer,” Beckler said Beckler said the suspension of the SUP paddle program means that he will shift production this summer to ski poles adding that he doesn’t expect reductions in staff at this point but it is unlikely that he will add any new positions Grass Stick’s bamboo comes from India — the Trump administration this week announced a 90 day pause on a proposed 26% tariff on imports from India — and its ski pole components from the European Union are facing a potential 10% baseline tariff on imports to the U.S.The company’s paddle blades come from China where a baseline tariff on imports to the U.S “There’s really no way around that If Trump turns around and cancels tariffs tomorrow but it’s going to be weeks,” he said John Bristol executive director of Routt County Economic Development Partnership said the 29 Outdoor Gear companies in Steamboat Springs help drive the economy in our mountain town He estimates the businesses account for 159 jobs $9.4 million in salaries and have an $80 million economic impact on the community Travis Campbell is the owner and CEO Eagle Creek an outdoor gear brand based in Steamboat Springs Eagle Creek manufactures it products in countries in Asia that are facing baseline tariffs of 10% He said he was caught off guard when the Trump Administration announced April 2 that products coming from Indonesia would face an additional 32% tariff and those coming from Vietnam would see an additional 46% tariff offering companies a break but not erasing the uncertainty for a company that depends on imports “That magnitude would be nearly impossible for any outdoor business that I’m aware of to just absorb quickly,” Campbell said of the initial announcement “So that was an immediate shock.” He said the pause is a relief for his company but he can’t be certain how long it will last “(The pause) does a relatively good job of hiding the fact that there’s still an incremental 10% tariff which is a big number when you’re dealing with importing product from overseas That’s in addition to the 17.6 that we already pay so now we’re paying 27.6% tax effectively on our goods,” Campbell said While the tariffs have disrupted supply chains he said he fears they may also reduce consumer confidence and demand for discretionary products — like the ones Eagle Creek sells as consumer confident plunges — and may limit travel this summer “I was just talking to our managing director in Germany He told me that the volume of passengers on flights from Germany to the U.S. was down 40% in March over the prior year,” Campbell said with partners Jay Lambert and Joe Solomon in 2020 “We produce in China where we have a very long partner who we have worked with and adore They gave us our first shot five years ago and we have gotten to know them over the years,” Hall said of the relationship she enjoys with her Chinese partners this absolutely does have an impact on us.” Much of the impact of the trade ware between the U.S and China will be felt in July when the Steamboat Springs-based company starts importing fall and winter products and could face a 145% tariff unless the two countries come to the table  “We are a largely winter business at this point and so that stuff will come into port in July,” Hall said “Then we will need to pay the duty at that time we’re watching the news and the impacts day-to-day for sure.” She said if nothing changes Town Hall will be paying an additional $95 in tariffs on a jacket that sells for $75 compared to the $7 the company pays now for the same jacket and considering new production locations to reduce costs the company may also be forced to pass additional costs of tariffs to customers The company is also looking at its business model to see if it can put energy into promising programs that could keep the business relevant in the quickly changing outdoor gear landscape She said Town Hall is examining its resale program that encourages reuse of its products and creates a sense of legacy and adventure with each garment “We’ve got a nice (resale) program we call ‘hand-me-ups,’ where we take in jackets from kiddos that grow out of them and resell them,” Hall said  “We typically do that at our summer garage sale but now we wonder if we should go to greater lengths to do that further and deeper” That idea fits well with Town Hall’s sustainable goal of making outdoor gear that can be passed from generation to generation She said those sales would be free of tariffs and they present an opportunity that the owners hadn’t really looked at or thought about in the past Bristol said that type of thinking is at the core of the peer-to-peer programs that the Routt County Economic Development Partnership is using to bolster the small businesses that bring diversity to the Yampa Valley.  He said the organization is actively working to help area businesses navigate tariffs and explore paths leading to a silver lining The Routt County Economic Development Partnership hosts a monthly meeting called “Garage Beers” to bring together local businesses Bristol said the group talked tariff strategies “The biggest concern is the inability to plan that is so important in business,” he said “Not having stability to be able to make projections is incredibly challenging staff and energy to figure things out and make a contingency plan.” Friends of the Yampa will host free River Workshop Wednesdays this year at the Yampa River Center located at 743 Oak St All ages of river users are invited to this helpful talk about cold water river-ready safety topics River enthusiasts are encouraged to attend the workshop to brush up on cold weather boating skills and network to meet a new river activity shuttle buddy or safety partner “We are going to create a space for folks to talk about how to gear up for cold-water boating safely since we see a lot of people out there who aren’t dressed to swim in the cold runoff water,” said Katie Berning Friends of the Yampa outreach program manager Steamboat Springs City Council members received their latest update on a draft version of the city’s proposed Community Plan at a work session last week.The Steamboat Springs Area Community Plan had its vision reaffirmed through a public process in 2014 Routt County adopted a new Master Plan in August 2022 paving the way for a new Community Plan that addresses the city’s evolving challenges around growth “This community has not stopped planning,” said Brad Calvert “So how we bring forward contemporary planning work that has happened whether it’s the Climate Action Plan the Transportation and Mobility Plan — let’s understand the community continues to have conversations about what’s important to us Let’s make sure the comprehensive plan can reflect those and integrate them.”  Calvert addressed City Council members during their work session last week saying the effort to update the current Community Plan has been informed with input from city and county staff and an advisory group consisting of community members “We spent four to five meetings with the (Area Plan Coordinating Committee) in 2023 to scope this project,” said Calvert “The importance of having it values-centered and values-forward was really important so that’s one of the things we’re trying to get out of this process.” “We understand that we are a place where a lot of people visit but we’re feeling a little overwhelmed,” he added in January 2024 to help the city update the current plan Calvert said he hopes to release the updated draft plan some time this quarter with the release to be followed by a 45-day public comment period.  Calvert said the proposed plan identifies eight core values: a well-connected multi-modal city Calvert said the new plan is organized around specific themes — maintaining the community managing the destination and funding the future “How do we maintain the character of this community that we cherish as everyday residents we’re a global destination” said Calvert “There are two things that we heard over and over and over again.” “One is simply affordability and the ability to actually make the life that people want to make in this community,” he continued “The other one is really a declining sense of community … people have this innate feeling that something about the community and the character of the place in terms of people’s willingness to give back to it maybe feels a little bit different than it did in the past.” “How do we manage that destination so that it works for visitors and we maintain our natural built environment so that it works for everyone who interacts with this community?” Calvert said we’re going to be talking about some big ideas and big ideas aren’t free,” he added “So how do we actually fund and resource the future that the plan imagines we’re kind of living in fantasy land.” Cost of living and community character emerged as the top priorities from previous public engagement.  Calvert said the proposed plan offers actions such as supporting housing costs expanding in West Steamboat and adding 600 new affordable housing units by 2030 “We need to be able to assess how we’re doing as a community Are the actions that we have pursued actually having the intended outcome?” said Calvert who added that the plan commits to a five-year evaluation and assessment cycle Transportation and mobility were also highlighted as pressing concerns Residents have expressed to the planning commission frustration over congestion and a general sense that it’s “visitors first The plan’s “managing the destination” theme encompasses actions like parking management expanding mobility options and developing a sustainable tourism strategy The “funding the future” theme addresses the need to diversify city revenue and support economic growth beyond tourism Recommended goals include increasing the percentage of jobs in non-tourism sectors aligning land use policy to support the economy and creating dedicated funding streams for priority services like regional transit.  Council members engaged in a candid discussion about the plan’s structure and the council’s role in reviewing the draft before it goes to the public. A key point debated was whether council should review the draft plan before it is released for public comment Swintek argued that “this is not council’s document this is the community’s document,” while Buccino Council President Gail Garey and Councilor Joella West vocalized wanting to see the plan first to better answer constituent questions.  “I would like to see it so that when I run into somebody at the post office who wants to tell me about their objection to a chapter I can say that I have read that chapter,” said West City Manager Tom Leeson noted that council review would add time to the process but could enhance transparency.  “You can certainly review it before the public and then get it out to the public to make sure it sort of aligns with your values and your expectations are,” said Leeson “but there’s also an advantage to hearing what the public has to say first as well.” “We’ll put it as a community report on a city council meeting and we’ll have a kickoff in terms of the presentation,” Garey said “and like any other community report the opportunity is for us to ask questions get clarification and take public comment.” but I want to get to the point where it is the best version of the plan that has come out of this process.” The city’s water team will begin flushing the main water line and fire hydrant network on May 1 and will continue working through October “Our team is responsible for the water mains fire hydrants and valves that provide fire protection and potable water to your home or business,” said Distribution and Collection System Manager Michelle Carr “This is just one aspect of the work that constantly goes into ensuring the city’s system remains in good working order for our community.” is necessary to remove sediment that naturally settles in pipes over time The program allows every fire hydrant in the city to be serviced and tested to ensure they are in proper working condition There are over 1,000 hydrants in Steamboat Springs residents may experience discolored water and fluctuating water pressures The city reminds residents that water should run clear quickly and running cold water in a bathtub for 10-15 minutes helps the water clear turn off the faucet and wait 30-60 minutes before attempting to clear the line again For more information, visit SteamboatSprings.net/Water. Steamboat police arrested a man following a high-speed chase just before midnight April 4 in downtown Steamboat Springs last Friday and was charged with vehicular eluding reckless driving and two other traffic-related offenses a Steamboat police officer saw a white Mercedes sports car driving toward downtown at an “extreme speed,” states the affidavit the Mercedes was allegedly traveling 51 mph in a 25-mph zone The police officer turned on his lights and started to follow the vehicle and initiate a traffic stop but the driver accelerated and “began fleeing,” states the affidavit The vehicle was allegedly traveling westbound on Lincoln Avenue in downtown Steamboat at speeds of 60-70 mph and “completely disregarded numerous red lights and sped through intersections placing the many pedestrians and other vehicles in serious danger,” states the affidavit A second Steamboat police officer was patrolling at the time of the incident and joined in pursuit of the vehicle following the car with the other officer out of the downtown area As the vehicle was leaving the downtown area officers “estimated” the vehicle reached speeds of “nearly 100 mph,” according to the affidavit Officers then lost sight of the vehicle “due to its extreme speed.” a deputy with the Routt County Sheriff’s Office was approached by a citizen who witnessed the westbound fleeing car Law enforcement believed the vehicle was driving toward Hayden and contacted the Hayden Police Department about the incident The affidavit states that a Hayden police officer “utilized Flock Safety cameras” and “obtained license plate information for the suspect vehicle.” According to Steamboat Police Chief Mark Beckett Flock Safety cameras are primarily used as license plate reader cameras but can also detect the make and model of a vehicle After finding a license plate number associated with a white Mercedes registered to Dominguez-Martinez Hayden police officers searched the town for the vehicle officers saw a white Mercedes in the area of North 4th Street that “appeared to be intentionally hidden from view” in a driveway.  “The white Mercedes was not displaying a front license plate and was backed up in a way that shielded the rear license plate and a pickup truck had been intentionally parked facing oncoming traffic in an attempt to shield the car from view,” states the affidavit The affidavit also states that Hayden police “confirmed” that the rear license plate on the vehicle was the same one seen on the Flock Safety cameras and the hood of the car was “still hot.” Dominguez-Martinez told police that he was the only one who had recently driven the white Mercedes and that he had driven it an hour before police spoke to him Hayden police spoke to Dominguez-Martinez about 35 minutes after Steamboat police attempted to make the initial traffic stop.  Dominguez-Martinez was “unable to provide an explanation,” states the affidavit He was then arrested and taken to Routt County Jail by a Routt County sheriff’s deputy “If people think they’re going to fail to yield from us and get away from us our technology is better than it’s ever been,” said Beckett we will locate and identify you and you’ll still get charged.” Beckett added that fleeing from law enforcement also poses danger to the community putting both the offender and bystanders in harm’s way “People will panic or they’ll have drugs on them or a warrant so they flee and they end up putting themselves in serious felony charges,” Beckett continued “It’s just not worth it.” According to the Routt County Combined Courts clerk’s office Dominguez-Martinez posted a $2,000 bond on Saturday Dominguez-Martinez’s next court date is scheduled for 10:30 a.m Steamboat Springs City Council and the Steamboat Resort have officially begun negotiations for a potential lift ticket tax to supplement the city’s dependence on a sales tax with both parties emphasizing the need for collaboration while grappling with differing priorities.  council discussed takeaways from the first negotiation meeting on March 25 which was attended by City Manager Tom Leeson and council members Joella West and Bryan Swintek representing the city.  “We did not get into a lot of depth in the first meeting,” Leeson said “A lot of it was logistics — when are we going to meet — and we did start to have some conversations and then laid out a schedule.” setting the stage for deeper conversations in the coming months.  “All we have now is a first meeting … what’s the problem that you’re trying to solve Same question for both sides,” she said “There was nothing substantive accomplished in that meeting but the table was set for the next couple of meetings.” Swintek highlighted early tensions between the city’s community-focused perspective and the resort’s business-oriented approach.  “The resort sees things as trying to anchor things in numbers Our visitors come in and they spend X and they cost us Y and what’s fair would be covering the delta,” said Swintek “We are coming from an angle that people feel the effects of the resort people feel the effects of these investments you’re making.” and this is another expense that we’re worried about’ and our point of view is what’s best for the community … but I agree that we didn’t agree on anything,” Swintek added “There was discussion about … why does council always come to (the resort) ‘You are the largest mountain over the city The resort has been unwilling to disclose proprietary information which complicates efforts to quantify impacts and revenue potential.  If they do decide to disclose things in the meeting they do not want that publicly disclosed,” said Swintek We asked for it and we were told no … it’s a data point they don’t publish and therefore it would be specific items like that.” Council President Gail Garey expressed reservations about relying on confidential data “If we’re going to be making decisions that we need to justify to the community and we can’t share the information … that’s a slippery slope,” Garey said “Any documents in your possession or in the city’s possession would be subject to disclosure under the Open Records Act,” City Attorney Dan Foote said “Whether or not something is confidential is more of a fact question for a judge to decide.” Councilor Amy Dickson cautioned against overreliance on single data points like skier visits without adequate context reported a decrease in skier visits last year Council members are also debating how funds from the potential lift tax should be allocated particularly addressing congestion caused by visitors which West said would be a major subject at the next negotiation meeting on April 10.  “If we can use this to get more express (Steamboat Springs Transit) buses in the morning to the mountains … or reinstating after-midnight service “We could tie in (the tax) … to expand the bus service so that it’s directly related to and driven by our visitors to the ski mountain.” Councilor Dakotah McGinlay raised broader concerns about housing and short-term rental impacts tied to resort operations “If (the resort is) not providing housing for all those employees … then that burden is also on the city or surrounding communities,” McGinlay said Steamboat Resort has consistently opposed using lift ticket tax revenue for the city’s general fund but has indicated it is willing to support transportation initiatives such as forming a Regional Transportation Authority “We’re still figuring out the funding mechanisms … a lot of which will be determined on the polling that we’re going to start doing and that’s really what’s going to change the conversation or confirm the conversation with the RTA funding,” said Councilor Michael Buccino who represents the city on the RTA formation committee.  Buccino also underscored the importance of maintaining a collaborative tone with the resort “We’re here to build a continued partnership with the largest employer that draws a boatload of people to Steamboat Springs,” Buccino said “We need to respect the fact that they’re bringing people to Steamboat Springs that’s already increasing our sales tax to where it is We’re just asking them for a little bit more … let’s not be adversarial.” McGinlay countered that while she appreciates the partnership with the resort tough questions shouldn’t be viewed as confrontational “This is me looking at this from the community’s perspective,” she said “What would do the best service to our community — not just to the private business.” Buccino argued that focusing on shared goals could strengthen negotiations.  “Let’s work around (the nonnegotiables) let’s not make them negative,” said Buccino Swintek emphasized a preference for steering discussion on lift-tax specifics to the upcoming executive session that evening before presenting proposals publicly.  “We need to come as a united force,” Swintek said “Are we trying to leave without going to a ballot Leeson clarified that the two are not mutually exclusive — the city could come to an agreement with the resort and still implement a ballot initiative.  and then went into executive session to discuss specific funding goals from the lift tax whether to tie RTA funding to the tax and if they are interested in proceeding to a ballot initiative The April 10 meeting will delve into nonnegotiables and funding priorities aiming to move closer toward an agreement between council and the resort on the potential lift tax.  Leeson expressed optimism about potential progress “I think this will move relatively quickly,” he said “I think that’s the intent of both parties.” For over 50 years, discussions in Steamboat Springs have touched on many facets of community life —but one essential piece often gets overlooked or misunderstood: the Airline Program and the Local Marketing District (LMD) that supports it the airline program has played a critical role in connecting our valley to the outside world it set the stage for PSA to offer initial service between San Diego marking the program’s official launch in the 1986–1987 winter season What began as a seasonal convenience has since grown into a vital part of our regional infrastructure the program has supported nonstop flights from up to 16 cities across the country But these flights didn’t appear on their own — each route exists because our community via the Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation (SSRC) and other entities have come together to support them This collective effort was strengthened in 2004 with formation of the LMD Funded by a 2% lodging tax within the district boundaries is responsible for managing the financial guarantees that keep air service to the Yampa Valley Regional Airport (YVRA) in Hayden viable and continuity in the administration of air access to our valley works to ensure these services are secured and sustained — not just for visitors All lodging facilities contained within the boundaries of the LMD contribute to the airline program Another 57,392 arrived during the summer months The SSRC commissioned a study at YVRA in 2021 and found that each winter visitor spends an average of $1,565 in our community but I suspect one will discover that the results are staggering These flights don’t just move people — they support livelihoods The ripple effects reach across all sectors: retail recreational facilities (skate board parks which all benefit from the stability and spending that accompany strong air access Local jobs are supported — many of them year-round and offering competitive wages as well as providing the potential for more businesses/careers the ability to fly in and out of Hayden means skipping the 175-mile drive to Denver especially during winter when road conditions can be hazardous and eliminates the stress of navigating busy highways and flights are direct — no long layovers or complicated travel plans Hazie Werner once rebuked a guest who complained about an increase in visitors: “We made room for you That spirit of inclusion and foresight lives on in programs like these The Airline Program and LMD aren’t just mechanisms for travel — they’re foundational components of life in our valley If you want to understand the real impact, not just the surface-level assumptions, the 2024 LMD Annual Report is essential reading and what it all means for those of us who call Steamboat home The Agency Steamboat Springs announced a record-breaking home sale of $17.45 million this week marking the highest sale price ever recorded in Steamboat Springs real estate history according to a news release from the real estate firm named “Over the Edge” and located at 2965 Trails Edge has 7 bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms as well as a two-story gym all included in a total of 9,950 square feet of space “The sale of ‘Over the Edge’ is a defining moment for Steamboat real estate,” said Chris Paoli “It reflects not only the extraordinary appeal of this home but also the growing prestige of Steamboat Springs as a premier destination for luxury living in a ski town.” real estate agent with The Agency Steamboat Springs According to the Routt County Assessor’s Office the previous owners purchased the home in April 2021 for $10 million the previous ownership of the home is under Black Elk Ranch LLC a company with an address listed in Bellevue The 2022 property assessment determined the land to be worth over $3 million and the “improvement value” was worth over $9.5 million totaling over $12.5 million in total value the property value has increased by over $4.8 million the second-highest home sale in Steamboat Springs was in Storm Mountain Ranch in September 2023 Stanford stated that “they’re incredible people” who have been “very philanthropic” in the community Stanford added that The Agency has represented the owners on “numerous transactions.” The owners were ready to sell Over the Edge after the extensive renovations were completed The Agency marketed the home through drone footage and photo shoots sweat and tears” to sell the property Over the Edge is one of seven “true” ski-in ski-out single-family homes in Steamboat Springs contributing to the high price tag on the property What’s different about this place?'” Stanford said “Once we figured out there were only seven ski-in that was our outlier and we threw that into some marketing pitches … It was such a great opportunity to be able to represent something so iconic in Steamboat.” marathon runner Jennifer Schubert-Akin is always told how inspiring she is for running at her age.  But she does not believe age should ever deter someone from chasing the joys of life.  “Don’t think about your age as a limit on what you should be able to do go do what you enjoy,” Schubert-Akin said Do things that have meaning to your life and be fearless about it.”  The 129th Boston Marathon ran through eastern Massachusetts on Monday and for the 31st consecutive year Schubert-Akin was among the sea of runners who traveled from 128 countries to race.  Her total distance in Boston Marathons alone stretches over 812 miles — about the distance from Steamboat Springs to Calgary Schubert-Akin first stepped up to the Boston Marathon start line in 1995 — the same year she and her husband “Back then there were only about 9,500 runners Now they have 9,500 volunteers and 32,000 runners,” she said.  While the world renowned marathon’s popularity has changed over the last three decades Schubert-Akin’s message at each race remains the same Schubert-Akin started “Jennifer’s Run to Defeat MS,” which raises funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Schubert-Akin’s sister was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 25 her niece was also diagnosed with the disease making things even more personal to her.  MS is “an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and body.” Raising money for MS research is what inspired Schubert-Akin to run in ’95 Her time in 1995 was quick enough to qualify again for the ’96 race What began as a one-year challenge turned into a 31-year adventure of running and raising money for multiple sclerosis research every April at the Boston Marathon.  Schubert-Akin’s campaign has raised close to $250,000 “It all goes 100% to the National MS Society,” she said “I very closely watch how they spend their money and they do a lot of good with research supporting people with MS and they’ve been helpful to my sister with buying a scooter They’re very responsive when people with MS and their families really need something.” Schubert-Akin faced complications of her own with lower spine problems leading up to the run Spine surgery in late-February sidelined her training She did not officially decide to run Boston until about three weeks ahead of the race.  Taking a conservative running pace on Monday The highlights were running through crowds of cheering students at Wellesley College and Boston College; racing past Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox; and crossing the finish line on a bluebird day.  Schubert-Akin said running the race each year helps with knowing where to save energy on the course as a place where most runners get fatigued.  It was a mostly painless run for Schubert-Akin who said her calves began to cramp in the final two miles.  Runners who are part of the Quarter Century Club (25 years running the Boston Marathon) no longer have to hit a qualifying time They simply have to continue running and reach the finish line each year.  Though Schubert-Akin has been a proud member of the Quarter Century Club for six races she still makes a point to strive for a qualifying time one thing is for sure — Schubert-Akin will be back in Boston next April celebrating Patriots’ Day and running America’s oldest platinum-level marathon for the 32nd time The Steamboat Springs Board of Education received a detailed update on transportation during its regular business meeting Monday Transportation Manager Casey Ungs led the presentation offering insights into the district’s efforts to ensure safe and efficient transportation for students while embracing sustainability and technological advancements The district currently operates 10 daily bus routes six of which primarily cover in-town areas and four that include more rural areas with a plan to add an additional route to better serve rural students compared to a capacity of 71-72 students per bus.  “It’s hard to convince three high-schoolers to stuff three to a seat in a bus,” said Ungs Approximately 25% of the district’s student population uses the bus system a figure that has remained consistent over the years though Ungs noted that this percentage excludes juniors and seniors “Are we OK with the 25% of our district using the bus?” asked Board of Education Secretary Lara Craig “What I see that connected to is a lot of traffic issues And what are the ways that we can mitigate that issue and improve incentives for parents to actually use the bus system rather than coming in single-car pickups and creating traffic woes for the rest of the town?” every kid would ride the school bus just because it is the safest form of transportation that you could use to get to and from school,” Ungs answered “They’re specifically designed to keep kids safe I would totally support a larger percentage of the student population riding the bus.” Ungs added that he plans to distribute a parent survey to gather more information as to what parent needs are from school buses and what may be preventing them from choosing school buses as a method of transportation.  “I think that sounds great and I would encourage the district and you to look into that,” said Craig “It concerns me that Steamboat is so conscious of the environment and yet not participating in ways to carpool That’s just been a concern for a long time.” serving North Routt Charter School in Clark Activity trips are another significant component of the transportation initiatives with an estimated total of 550 by year-end Around half of these trips extend beyond the Yampa Valley “We’re kind of isolated up here so some of our sports trips and some of the opportunities that are available in Denver and larger areas we get out there and take students down there the Science Olympiad was in Colorado Springs and girls’ lacrosse was in Edwards.” it can be pretty challenging,” he added “So kudos to all those drivers that go out on the activity trips and get them done safely.” the district recently added two new buses equipped with upgraded seating air conditioning and USB ports for charging devices The district has also implemented radio frequency identification card readers across its entire fleet to streamline student tracking Approximately 500 cards were distributed to students at the beginning of the academic year and Ungs is currently working through remaining requests using a newly acquired card printer parents will have access to a companion app called My Ride K-12 which provides real-time updates on when and where students board and exit buses A major highlight of the meeting was the district’s progress in adopting electric vehicles — by the 2025-26 school year 100% of the existing bus routes will be operated by EVs.  for the kids riding the buses and the drivers driving the buses,” said Ungs and it’s a substantially more enjoyable experience.” Ungs also discussed exploring renewable natural gas technology as part of a retrofit initiative called the CowFartBus which could significantly reduce emissions while improving fuel economy He plans to visit Eagle Valley soon to evaluate the technology firsthand Safety remains a top priority for the transportation department Ungs reported 48 instances of illegal passing of school buses this year so far the district plans to install stop-arm extensions with flashing lights to improve visibility and reduce violations “Your entire crew does an incredible job with activities’ transportation it is exactly what you said: You never know about the weather you never know about if a bus is going to make it down successfully and you guys are very good at quickly and creatively problem-solving when those challenges arise because it’s going to happen,” said Board of Education Vice President Chresta Brinkman following the presentation “I also just want to say thank you also for being forward-thinking,” said Craig really supporting electric buses and new technology and making sure that we’re not idling and creating more fumes for kids to breathe Steamboat Springs police arrested a man Wednesday for allegedly distributing Xanax was charged with one count of unlawful distribution dispensing or sale of a Schedule III or IV drug Steamboat police responded to a call about an overdose in downtown Steamboat on Jan The man who overdosed received care from a Steamboat police officer and was taken to Yampa Valley Medical Center for more medical treatment The affidavit states that the man consented to the police searching his phone Steamboat police noticed messages between the man and Wheelock over private messaging Police found messages talking about “bars,” which refers to Xanax and “clr,” which refers to methamphetamine stating that he was willing to pay in cash or exchange meth for Xanax “Exchange for c usually works out better for both parties especially if you get a deal ya heard,” Wheelock said in a message to the man The man messaging Wheelock added that he gets xanax for $2.50 per pill in Fort Collins Wheelock told the man he gets xanax for $7 per pill Wheelock and the man met at the Maverick gas station in Hayden where the man allegedly gave Wheelock $80 for Xanax pills the man messaged Wheelock asking if the Xanax pills contained fentanyl.  I can’t take the risk with all the fent runnin around these days so as long as they’re prescription I’m down,” said the man in a message to Wheelock The affidavit then states that Wheelock did not respond to those questions counterfeit Xanax pills are pressed in the shape but can contain “amounts” of fentanyl the end user is unaware of the pills containing fentanyl which can lead to overdose medical emergencies and in some cases fatalities,” states the affidavit It is unclear whether the pills the man purchased from Wheelock contained fentanyl According to documents provided by the Routt County Combined Courts clerk’s office the arrest warrant for Wheelock was filed April 17 Wheelock was issued a $10,000 personal recognizance bond on Thursday Wheelock remains in custody at the Routt County Jail as of Friday morning Wheelock’s next court appearance is scheduled for 10 a.m Nordic Combined USA and Glimpse Films have announced the release of “Annika — Where She Lands.” The short film is set to be shown 5-6 p.m May 4 at Wildhorse Cinema in Steamboat Springs The film follows Steamboat Springs Nordic combined skier Annika Malacinski and her ability to compete at the elite level while fighting for gender equality in the sport.  the International Olympic Committee announced it would exclude women’s Nordic combined from the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina The decision became extremely controversial especially because Nordic combined would be the only Winter Olympic sport to exclude female athletes Malacinski was boarding a flight when she first learned all her hard work was being disrespected by the IOC.  most unbearable news anyone could get,” she wrote in 2022 “For someone that puts their everything into a sport that they love making sacrifices most wouldn’t understand only to hear the (BS) excuse that comes from the IOC about how we Not only are women not participating in Nordic combined in 2026 but the men’s sport is on the chopping block for 2030 as well.  The IOC issued a number of checkboxes last year where checkmarks are needed to keep the sport’s Olympic standing afloat The needed improvements include higher TV viewership and improved results across all participating nations Malacinski has represented Steamboat Springs well on the Nordic combined World Cup circuit She ended this World Cup season ranked 15th in the world continuing a local legacy started by Carl Howelsen 100-plus years ago better and more deserving than ever of Olympic inclusion,” Malacinski said “The 2030 and 2034 Winter Games — especially Salt Lake City — could finally mark the moment women are welcomed into this historic discipline.” The community screening will be followed by a discussion led by Nordic combined athletes and leadership from Nordic Combined USA To RSVP for the free event, go to: Tinyurl.com/sdchjsbk The meaning behind Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” is not lost on students involved in the Steamboat Springs High School’s production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “One of the main reasons we chose this play was because of how much it applies to Steamboat Springs,” said student director Quinn Skinner a senior who is enthusiastically looking forward to the production’s opening at 6 p.m “I know that a lot of teens around here can imagine Grover’s Corners where this play is set — it’s a lot like Steamboat,” Skinner said “They feel like nothing happens; you grow up go to college and come back to live here for 40 years … I think this play speaks to a lot of the population of Steamboat Springs and we can really take a lesson from that.” The classic American play will also be performed at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday — with a noon matinee also slated for Saturday. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance with tickets ranging in price from $5-$15 at SteamboatSchools.net/about-us/box-office.  Theater has been a huge part of Skinner’s high school experience Skinner was stage manager for “The Phantom Tollbooth,” assistant stage manager for “Shrek the Musical” and worked backstage on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Spamalot.” I’m one of the few student directors that the high school has ever seen and because of that it’s very new to everybody — it’s new to me,” Skinner said it’s new to the staff and faculty at the high school and because of that it has been a very steep learning curve It’s also very rewarding getting to work with all these different people and see them grow as people and as actors over the course of these past three months working together.” The play is centered around life in the small fictional community of Grover’s Corners and follows the lives of George Gibbs and Emily Webb as they interact with the other town characters as they grow up get married and carry on the traditions of life in a small New Hampshire town The Steamboat Springs High School production includes 45 students working under the lights as actors and backstage with the production and I’m really happy about it,” said Alley Kvols a senior who will be play the part of milkman Howie Newsome in her eighth high school production “It’s been great getting to know everybody and this group is really more like family — I think that feeling of family (is what I enjoy about theater) During a break between run-throughs on Tuesday night several cast members took advantage of the opportunity to grab a bite to eat and gather as they talked about why they are excited to be part of this theatrical production the cast of this year’s production was also excited about the chance to bring “Our Town” to life on the stage at Steamboat Springs High School — and realized the meaning of the story that was unfolding on the stage “The connections with human nature and what this world is about I guess that’s why I like the third act it’s really about life,” said junior Rachel Sloan who is playing the part of Constable Bill Warren The front desk at the Forest Service office at 925 Weiss Drive in Steamboat Springs is currently closed until further notice access locations and recreation site status can be found online or over the phone Appointments with local Forest Service staff regarding situation- and project-specific topics can be made in advance by phone firewood permits and day-use passes can also be obtained online For visitor information and questions about the closure, call 970-870-2299 or visit Fs.Usda.Gov/Mbr. Additional information can be found at Facebook.com/FSMBRTB USA Ski Jumping announced it will host a national-level camp July 1-12 in Steamboat Springs The camp calls for selected ski jumping and Nordic combined athletes to live train and compete in a team-based environment for the nearly two-week camp offering participants a chance to gain knowledge from National Team athletes and coaches.  The camp is open to ages 13-17 and jumpers must possess the ability to safely jump a HS60 ski jump. The camp is priced at $1,850 per jumper and participants can be registered at Tinyurl.com/nhkh67bx Spots are limited and registration ends May 15 News | Mar 4 The Glenwood Springs Demons varsity hockey team watched their title dreams drift away Monday night swallowed by the tide of Steamboat Springs Sailors in the 4A CHSAA State Championship 2 Sailors at the University of Denver’s Magness Arena on Monday night falling just short of hoisting their first state title banner Steamboat Springs rode the momentum to a 4-2 victory in the 4A CHSAA state championship The Demons had beaten the Sailors by a combined score of 7-1 in two matchups earlier this season “It hasn’t really set in yet,” junior Brady Luetke said “To have all the work we put in — six days a week every week since June — just ripped out of our hands like that but despite outshooting Steamboat by eight Glenwood couldn’t get enough breaks to turn the tide “I honestly felt like we played better,” Luetke said but the puck didn’t go our way tonight The bounces just weren’t there for us but I thought we played our hearts out.” Senior captain Jacob Roggie tied the game early in the second period taking a pass from freshman Weston Jacober and firing it past the Steamboat goalie to make it 1-1 Steamboat struck twice in just 12 seconds midway through the second period flipping a tight contest into a 3-1 Sailors lead in an instant “The bench was pretty quiet during that moment,” Demons assistant coach Bryan Gonzales said “They were trying to rile each other up telling each other that they’ve been here before Glenwood fought back late in the second period Luetke took a feed from sophomore Cash Hilgeford behind the net and slipped it past the goalie’s left skate “I felt like I was there for a reason and we could pull it out after that.” The Demons battled through every second of the third period but Steamboat delivered the final blow with three minutes remaining anchoring their lead and igniting their fan section “I saw a lot of hard work,” Gonzales said “I thought we outworked them most of the game but we just didn’t have any luck today Sometimes you just don’t win a game.” The Demons have made two state championship apperances in the past three years holding the top seed in the tournament each year “We wear that Demon on our chest to show the Glenwood spirit and we know our town has our back,” Luetke said I have to give all the credit to Coach Cota He’s the best coach I’ve ever had and the best coach I’ll ever have.” The Demons will look different next season after saying goodbye to 10 seniors Monday night Gonzales reflected on his veteran defensemen who made his job as defensive coach “easy.” “We had arguably four of the best defensemen in the state and coaching this entire senior class over these past four years has been such a pleasure,” he said They made my job really easy and a lot of fun.” Glenwood’s younger players got valuable experience Thirteen underclassmen played key roles throughout the season “We are going to use this as motivation,” Hilgeford said “I think this might be what we need to push us over the hump.” Freshman goalie Issac Zevin kept it short and simple Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible Colorado has seen five known cases of measles this year View Results A local “Hands Off!” demonstration in Steamboat Springs drew hundreds of community members to the Historic Routt County Courthouse Saturday part of a national protest against executive orders issued by President Donald Trump’s administration The demonstration in Steamboat was one of roughly 1,200 such protests held across the nation by more than 150 groups including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LGBTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists, according to the Associated Press Worth Fighting For — Routt County in partnership with the Routt County Democrats the local assembly Saturday was peaceful and lively bringing together community members of all ages Signs created by those demonstrating were met with honks from passing cars and featured a variety of messages — “Dump Trump,” “Freedom and Justice for All,” “Ruck Fussia,” “IKEA has Better Cabinets” and “Trump Golfs as our World Implodes.” communications director for the Routt County Democrats estimated the local crowd consisted of roughly 1,200 people just after 2 p.m While exact number of individuals who turned out to the demonstration is not confirmed It is tough when we are the minority party and it is a ‘we’ because we are all Democrats now fighting for our country,” said Routt County Democrats Chair Catherine Carson Michael Bennet actually has a piece of legislation on the floor trying to reverse these ridiculous trade tariffs that Trump is doing,” she added “We are cracking the ceiling right now to get this done,” said Carson we are not going to lose democracy on our watch.” A statement from Routt County Republicans Chair Heather DeVos said the party “supports free speech and the right to assemble 100%.” “Our concerns continue to focus on misrepresenting the truth We encourage people to read and learn going to the White House website that states in writing: Medicare Medicaid and Social Security are not being cut,” the statement added With a cacophony of horns in the background Chris Layel stood across the street from the courthouse a Texas native who is working as a contractor on a project for a local energy company offered his thoughts on the Trump administration’s work to impose tariffs “The tariffs are going to get passed on to us it doesn’t matter if you charge $10 for a pizza we are paying for the tariffs,” he said Jacqueline Denny from the Worth Fighting For — Routt County organization remarked on the impressive turnout for the local demonstration “Do you think we have drummed up some good energy today?” she asked to a cheering crowd “We need to keep in mind that this is not going to change overnight “Every single one of you has made this great.” The 31st annual Routt County Economic Summit next week will explore a number of topics that will impact the Northwest Colorado economic landscape including transportation and banking as well as the dynamics shaping the American West and it’s just a testament to this community’s desire and interest to look at major topics and themes and look over the horizon to see what’s coming and understand the landscape,” John Bristol executive director of the Routt County Economic Development Partnership This year’s summit will take place 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m May 9 and is organized by the Steamboat Springs Chamber Routt County Economic Development Partnership and Colorado Mountain College The event brings together diverse stakeholders to explore the local and regional economic landscape Tickets are $97.80 for chamber members and $151.36 for non-members and can be found at SteamboatChamber.com.  This year’s summit features six sessions including: “Economic Resiliency: What Should We Expect in the Short-Term?” hosted by Brian Lewandowski; “Banking on the Future: Navigating Banking Lending and Financial Planning in 2025” with panelists Adonna Allen Wade Gebhardt and Jonathan Lay; and “Transportation: Planes “It’s just a community conversation that will focus in on different modes or transportation,” Bristol said of the “Planes “We are having this wide group of people to talk about planes a broader view of it as a larger system.” Bristol said he expects the transportation discussion to draw a lot of interest considering the importance of transportation in Northwest Colorado Panelists will include Routt County Commissioner Sonja Macys Yampa Valley Regional Airport Manager Kevin Booth Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation Director of Airline Programs Janet Fischer and transportation consultant Bill Ray who is guiding formation of the Yampa Valley’s proposed Regional Transportation Authority There will also be a legislative update by speaker Jennifer Cassell and Mick Ireland who will present “Insights from Aspen.” author of “Billionaire Wilderness: The Ultra-Wealthy and the Remaking of the American West,” to get a lot of attention at this year’s summit “He grew up in Wyoming and he is a professor at Yale,” Bristol said “He wrote a really interesting book … really looking at the dynamic shaping the American West and socioeconomic diversity and wealth and development and growth and all of that but it’s also an example to look at and understand what lessons we could learn as we are looking at how we retain our culture our heritage and socioeconomically diverse communities.” at Colorado Mountain College with registration Events will then unfold inside the Allbright Auditorium with opening remarks and two sessions followed by a break At 10:45 a.m., the transportation session will take place participants will have brunch followed by the legislative update The afternoon slate includes “Insights from Aspen” and “Billionaire Wilderness” before the day wraps up with closing remarks “I can’t tell you how many times after that economic summit happens that I go to an event and somebody will reference topics from the economic summit,” Bristol said “It really helps shape conversations across the valley and that is just fascinating to watch.” Below is a letter sent to the Steamboat Pilot & Today by Mark Beckett It’s a root cause of so many issues in our community Uncertainty about where somebody’s next meal is coming from The recent changes in the federal government’s positions on things like immigration and income have compounded these uncertainties across the country When my family came to this community a little over two years ago we did so to be part of a community where we could raise our children to be inclusive and open minded We’ve found this community to be exactly that when I hear the concerns of our Hispanic and Queer communities although our family did everything we could to support Jack it also galvanized our resolve to support all vulnerable communities I bring this resolve to the community in my role as the chief of police for the City of Steamboat Springs I’m proud to say that I’ve seen overwhelming support for the vulnerable communities in Steamboat Springs Routt County is in the midst of a mental health crisis We’ve seen an unprecedented number of suicides Immigration status has families afraid to send their children to school and parents afraid to show up for work People are afraid to call the police for help Our schools are incredibly supportive of our youth Our local government and public safety support all members of our community We have some of the best leaders I’ve ever worked with and hands down the best non-profits around we must remember how scary a time it is for some members of our community and we need to stand together to support them I encourage everybody in our community to talk respect one another and to continue making Steamboat Springs the special place it is Light snow showers are expected to continue in Steamboat Springs bringing an extra 1-4 inches of snow by Saturday morning according to local meteorologist Mike Weissbluth The showers follow Friday’s blustery storm which closed the eastbound lanes on Interstate 70 over Vail Pass at 10 a.m. Around 8 inches of snow fell in the mid-mountain region of Steamboat Resort with another 4 inches predicted for Saturday according to the Steamboat Resort Mountain Report Cold temperatures and snow showers will continue through Saturday afternoon, states Weissbluth’s local forecast on SnowAlarm.com with another 2-5 inches of snow predicted for Steamboat Springs Sunday will bring some sunshine and temperatures will rise to around 40 degrees Temperatures will continue to rise to the 50s by Monday as another storm is expected to hit Steamboat Springs on Tuesday To check the latest road closures and conditions, visit COTrip.org Middle school students from across the Yampa Valley competed in the 2025 National Civics Bee regional competition on Wednesday at STARS Ranch with three victorious Steamboat Springs Middle School students advancing to the state-level competition Hosted by the Craig Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Colorado Chamber of Commerce Foundation the Daniels Fund and the Civic Trust of the U.S nine students from Routt and Moffat counties participated in a live quiz event answering questions to test their civic knowledge students submitted a detailed essay on an issue or topic they are passionate about and ideas on how to locally address the issue and spark change five finalists stood before the panel of judges comprised of Routt County Commissioner Sonja Macys Steamboat Springs City Council member Joella West and Craig City Council member Randy Looper The finalists then answered questions about their essays and plan for change three students from Steamboat Springs Middle School were chosen to advance to the state-level competition in Denver First place and a $500 prize went to sixth-grader Emma Swanson for her essay on bullying in the workplace Seventh-grader Ellory Dale won second place for her passion for educating the community about civics and won $250 Third place and $125 was awarded to sixth-grader Violet Bock for her position on water conservation in the Yampa Valley “The Colorado Civics Bee is a great opportunity for our local students to showcase their knowledge critical thinking and leadership skills,” said Kirstie McPherson president of the Craig Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors “Engaging young minds in civic education helps build a stronger community and future which is at the forefront of everyone’s minds We’re proud as the Craig Chamber to support this initiative and celebrate the young leaders of Moffat and Routt County.” Winners of the state competition will advance to the National Civics Bee State competition winners will also receive cash prizes The national champion will be awarded $100,000 “We’re proud to continue working with our local chamber partners for the third consecutive year reinforcing our commitment to fostering active participation in government and democracy among young Coloradans,” said Colorado Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman in a statement “Investing in our future means investing in civic education and it’s inspiring to see this program continue to grow every year By equipping students with the knowledge and skills to participate in our democracy we’re building a brighter future for our state and nation.” Joe Neguse will visit the Western Slope on Wednesday April 23 to host two in-person town hall meetings for residents of Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District.  The first town hall will take place at 5 p.m in Steamboat Springs at Colorado Mountain College’s Allbright Family Auditorium Neguse will host a second town hall at 7:45 p.m at Colorado Mountain College – Vail Valley in Edwards Occupancy restrictions will vary by location The events are part of Neguse’s ongoing effort to update constituents on his work in Congress and take live questions from the public He has held eight town halls already this year Steamboat Springs and the Yampa Valley Housing Authority are launching a renewed community engagement process to determine the future of Brown Ranch beginning with an in-person community workshop Thursday This initiative comes after a divisive March 2024 referendum in which voters rejected the annexation of Brown Ranch effectively halting plans to construct over 2,000 affordable housing units west of Steamboat The failed annexation demonstrated community divisions over growth housing affordability and the preservation of Steamboat’s character The city and the housing authority have collaborated with Community Builders and Civic Canopy to guide a year-long May 8 at Howelsen Hill’s Olympian Hall inviting residents to share their thoughts and concerns in an interactive setting the community engagement process will include small group discussions larger public events and online engagement opportunities with the goal of developing a shared vision for Brown Ranch that reflects the community’s diverse viewpoints.  Residents are encouraged to participate and follow updates on Brown Ranch discussions at EngageSteamboat.net The Steamboat Springs Water District is replacing customers’ old water meters to minimize water loss “It is a mandatory requirement to have qualifying meters replaced during this project,” said Distribution and Collection Manager Michelle Carr in a statement wear out and meter technology constantly evolves The city is replacing water meters that are three years or older to make sure all water meters are enabling efficient water management detecting leaks and promoting responsible water usage Accurate water readings are essential for the water district to plan for water distribution and treatment needs The project applies to the city water district and does not include properties in the Mount Werner Water and Sanitation or Steamboat II Metro water districts Property owners in the city water district will be contacted by Keystone Utility Systems the company in charge of replacing the water meters and will be asked to schedule a date and time to perform the meter exchange The project will begin the week of April 28 For more information, contact Carr at 970-871-8204 or mcarr@steamboatsprings.net With the closure of Hayden Station approaching Routt County and Hayden are at a crossroads facing not only the loss of a major economic engine but also the challenge of ensuring a just transition for workers and the broader community.  At the regular meeting of the Routt County commissioners on Tuesday local residents and stakeholders gathered for an educational presentation hosted by the Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate aimed to demystify the complex regulatory process and prepare the public for Thursday’s critical Public Utilities Commission hearing in Hayden Routt County and Hayden are seeking an $89 million unified settlement from Xcel Energy to help offset the sweeping economic impacts of the Hayden Station’s 2028 closure The plant has long been an economic cornerstone of both the local community and the county and its loss threatens hundreds of jobs as well as the financial stability of local schools The closure of Hayden Station threatens around 65 direct jobs — many of them among the best-paying in the region — and puts at risk another 186 jobs in the greater community The loss of the plant’s property taxes would place a substantial burden on local schools The Hayden School District alone faces a $2.7 million annual shortfall representing over a quarter of its overall budget Commissioners and advocates have argued that Xcel’s current offer — $16 million over six years — falls short, especially compared to the 10-year support package offered to Pueblo County for the closure of Comanche Generating Station.  The Tuesday presentation was led by UCA Deputy Director Joe Pereira who described the UCA as a “small government office” within the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies “Our first and foremost job is to represent the public interest before the commission,” Pereira said we only give our perspective and present advocacy.” Pereira walked the attendees through the PUC’s process outlining its basic purpose as well as its dual quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial roles “The PUC is a regulatory body that was established to oversee utility service in a variety of areas They are statutorily mandated to give consideration to the public interest,” said Pereira “Their job is to figure out what that means.” their role is trying to figure out what are the details of the law and it’s also quasi-judicial,” he continued there are lots of advocacy positions: the UCA so these cases have a lot of positions in them and their job is to be the judge.”  “The applicant files their direct case The applicant here is Xcel Energy,” said Pereira “So they have filed a case that says ‘We have resource needs coming into the future and we need the commission to decide how we move forward on those needs.’ The utility initiates the process and they’re the first ones to lay out the case.” the PUC notifies the public and invites interested parties local governments and environmental groups The process then moves through phases of answer testimony rebuttal testimony and public hearings.  “There were … 50 different witnesses that presented answer testimony,” Pereira said it’s kind of a silent period where parties are thinking about what they want to say about the other parties.” “Have you ever seen a filing like this before?” asked Commissioner Tim Redmond “It’s very typical in what we would see in an energy resource plan in that the documents are predictable and the analysis they’re giving is pretty normal But the size and scale of this is something that we have never seen before.” “The issues like just transition and workforce transition are new because the decisions to close Comanche and Craig and Hayden are pretty new as well,” he continued “And then we have this very new factor called data centers … That’s the first time we’ve ever seen something like this.” is driving unprecedented increases in projected electricity demand across the country “The plan that (Xcel) filed is huge … the new projected load is somewhere between 12,000 and 14,000 megawatts,” said Pereira who believes the current public service load to be around 8,000 megawatts “Some of this is related to the state’s beneficial electrification goals … but the large These are all the facilities that will be used so we can quickly type into our phone and figure out all this new information and ChatGPT and all the stuff that is related to (artificial intelligence).”  “We just went through a process with one data center and the projection of that data center coming online for Xcel,” he added “When that data center is fully built out it will immediately become public service’s largest customer in Colorado.” He also noted incentives for new energy projects and efforts to encourage economic development including putting data centers in just transition communities.  Pereira then gave an overview of how the Thursday public hearing will work and provided suggestions on how members of the public can most effectively engage with the commissioners and they’ll be pretty strict about adhering to that timeline,” said Pereira “It’s my thought that in two to three minutes it’s better to come prepared than to try to just speak off the cuff … my suggestion is to consider writing down your comments if you can and practicing.” He encouraged speakers to introduce themselves explain how the decision affects them and offer a recommendation.  Tell them what you know about the PUC … because they’re going to want to know what is your motivation or how does this affect you how are you personally related to this issue,” Pereira said “Give them a recommendation: ‘I recommend you support the answer testimony put forward by this party,’ or ‘I recommend you consider this.'” “You don’t have to act like you think a government official might act or a lawyer might act “Use the natural language you would always use.”  The public hearing will take place 4-6 p.m All three PUC commissioners will be present to hear public comment but they will not engage in dialogue,” Pereira clarified noting that the commissioners would be in their “quasi-judicial role” and would likely not be answering questions.  Written comments can also be submitted up until the close of the hearing period in mid- to late-June She said the proceeding as a whole “allegedly” concludes Aug “Members of the community can be the most impactful in making comment when the commissioners are here,” said Pereira “The public comment for this commission matters … this is a good opportunity for voices to be heard within this boring administrative process.” Steamboat Springs and Routt County officials convened on Thursday for a State of the City/County webinar hosted by the Steamboat Springs Chamber to discuss pressing challenges and initiatives shaping the region’s future The event highlighted collaborative efforts between the city and county touching on topics ranging from energy redevelopment to transportation infrastructure and housing Assistant County Manager Melina Bricker unveiled an exciting development in mental health services: the implementation of a co-responder program which she referred to as a “huge community need.” “The purpose of a co-responder program is to divert individuals from levels of care that may not be appropriate or helpful to them,” said Bricker “This reduces the number of people who are inappropriately inserted into the criminal justice system for behavioral health needs It also helps support a continuity of care for individuals that tend to be higher utilizers of our local resources.” Bricker then discussed a joint project with the city aimed at tackling the childcare and worker housing crisis “We do reside in a child care desert,” she noted emphasizing affordability challenges and low wages for child care workers The county has committed $1 million toward the project “In order to address this cyclical issue of no child care because there’s no workers and no workers because there’s no child care this project is trying to hit both of those really critical elements of providing housing specifically for childcare workers that reside in the county,” Bricker said Transportation was another focal point of the event Bricker outlined progress on two segments of the Mountain Rail project: a commuter rail connecting Oak Creek and a ski train connecting Denver to Routt County While grant applications are pending due to technical issues with submission portals Bricker maintained that planning efforts are underway.  creating a safe pedestrian crossway on U.S “Anyone who lives or drives through Steamboat II I’m sure it’s not a mystery to you why families could be concerned about their kids trying to dash across U.S particularly as there are two schools on either side of the highway,” Bricker said.  The county’s application to the Safe Routes to School program for funding the crossing over 80% of people impacted in the area demonstrate strong support for sidewalks and pathways near schools.  Updates on Yampa Valley Regional Airport included increased winter travel demand and a new nonstop flight to LAX with United Airlines this summer including installing level-two electric vehicle chargers and exploring bird deterrent drones including an eight-hangar construction phase and a “rehab” of taxiway A Routt County Commissioner Angelica Salinas addressed the economic implications of Xcel Energy’s retirement of the Hayden Station coal units.  “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape what comes next — not just for energy but for our economy and workforce,” Salinas said The transition will impact approximately 200 local jobs tied to coal operations amounting to over $174 million in gross annual wages with ripple effects on schools and public safety services dependent on coal-related tax revenue.  Salinas urged public engagement in negotiations with Xcel Energy through upcoming hearings hosted by the Public Utilities Commission “We are really pushing for clean energy redevelopment that reflects our community values,” she said City Manager Tom Leeson emphasized the importance of organizational clarity and efficiency within city operations especially given inflationary pressures and increased service demands across city departments.  “We are seeing an increase in building permits and development applications We are seeing an increase in code enforcement…we are seeing an increase in stress on our parks and open space,” said Leeson who noted the difference between rising costs and flattening sales tax revenue.  “This is why City Council continues to talk about the need for looking for additional revenues.” Council President Gail Garey discussed housing as a top priority for council members Efforts include contracting with Community Builders to reassess community support for a Brown Ranch annexation while pursuing shorter-term solutions like inclusionary zoning and linkage fees She mentioned ongoing projects such as dormitory-style seasonal employee housing near the transit center and Riverside’s deed-restricted units funded through a city loan from short-term rental funds.  “Staff is creating internal policies that enable the city to operationalize the Climate Action Plan This includes adopting city electric vehicle policy as well as integrating EVs into the city’s fleet,” said Garey “The city is also conducting a Facilities Master Plan and a Decarbonization Plan which includes a facilities conditions assessment as well as an energy and water audit of the city buildings.” Water conservation remains central to sustainability efforts with goals set to reduce treated water demand by 10% by 2027 Smart irrigation systems are being deployed across city parks to optimize water usage based on soil conditions–a step toward protecting the Yampa River’s health leaders stressed the importance of public participation in shaping policies and solutions Temperatures will reach the upper-60s under mostly sunny skies on Saturday and most of Sunday, according to local meteorologist Mike Weissbluth in his twice-weekly report to SnowAlarm.com. Breezes will also increase on Saturday and Sunday which will be followed by clouds and possible precipitation Sunday evening The storm will bring a cold front into Monday with “possibly unsettled weather” and temperatures in the low-50s adding that there is some “uncertainty” regarding precipitation due to the “splitting storm and how much energy is partitioned.” “Enjoy the beautiful spring weekend as the approaching eddy is forecast to split and elongate to the southwest on Monday bringing increasing clouds by Sunday afternoon and a cold front with possible precipitation as soon as Sunday night,” added Weissbluth