1. Concerns are growing in Colorado’s mountain towns as the U.S. Forest Service freezes hiring of some seasonal employees.

The U.S. Forest Service has issued a nationwide hiring freeze for all non-fire seasonal employees, a move that could have ripple effects on Colorado’s mountain communities, where large swaths of land are national forests.

One-fifth of Colorado is land owned by the U.S. Forest Service. In places like Summit County, where the White River National Forest makes up 85 percent of the county, the federal government manages the majority of local lands.

Traditionally, seasonal Forest Service crews perform on-the-ground work in many of these communities, ranging from maintaining trails and patrolling campgrounds to educating visitors and performing work on the land.

-Ryan Spencer

2. Money from across the country is pouring into Colorado’s fight against big cat hunting

Towards the end of the electoral campaign for November 2024 Colorado Electionsa second reflection committee was formed to oppose Proposition 127, a measure that seeks to ban hunting of mountain lions, bobcats and lynx.

The committee filed a brief with the Colorado Secretary of State on Oct. 5 under the name Western Heritage Conservation Alliance.

It joins two other thematic committees which are fighting over the measure: Cats are not trophiesa group of citizens who filed a petition for Proposition 127 to be voted on, and Colorado Wildlife Deserves Betterwho also opposes it.

—Ali Longwell

3. Back-to-back snowstorms heading toward Colorado mountains this week

Editor’s note: This story was published on Monday, October 28..

Two storms are expected to bring several inches of snow to Colorado’s High Country starting Tuesday morning and Wednesday afternoon.

Snow totals of about 2 to 6 inches are possible in central mountain valley areas, with greater accumulation likely in high elevation areas above 10,000 feet, according to meteorologist Bruno Rodriguez of the National Weather Service. .

Snow is expected to begin falling Tuesday morning with intermittent showers throughout the day. A second wave of precipitation will fall Wednesday morning with light, isolated showers until the afternoon.

—Robert Tann

4. ‘Unacceptable’: Colorado federal lawmakers respond to US Forest Service’s seasonal hiring freeze

Colorado’s congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., is calling on the U.S. Forest Service to continue its partnerships with Rocky Mountain communities amid the crisis. freeze on the hiring of seasonal employees by the agency.

Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and Colorado Representatives Joe Neguse and Brittany Pettersen wrote a letter Monday, October 28, to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack.

In particular, the letter takes issue with the fact that the Forest Service is applying the hiring freeze not only to positions funded by the federal budget, but also to positions supported by local funding.

-Ryan Spencer

5. Interstate 70 fully open after crash near Frisco Monday morning

Editor’s note: This story was published on Monday, October 28..

The accident happened near exit 203 around 11 a.m. Monday morning. Colorado Department of Transportation cameras show traffic slowing on I-70 westbound.

—Summit Daily News Staff