Carbondale looking to offset energy usage with new solar arrays

Carbondale trustees and staff are working on a plan to increase the town's solar energy, with the help of power purchasing program from Xcel Energy. They're looking at three locations around town to offset energy usage and have chosen Carbondale solar energy company SunSense to help them make it a reality.

KDNK's Eric Skalac spoke to Katharine Rushton of SunSense to find out about why the town is building more solar, and how they selected the potential locations.

GarCo revising county land use codes

Less than a dozen people other than county employees attended the second public hearing last Monday about proposed changes to the Garfield County Land Use Code. Commissioners want a shorter, more user-friendly version that streamlines county development procedures and eliminates unnecessary regulatory barriers to economic development. But, critics say some of the changes endanger public health and safety, and fail to protect the environment. KDNK's Amy Hadden Marsh has this report.

Public comments on library building split between Surls museum and family enrichment center

Carbondale trustees held a lengthy public hearing Tuesday night on the proposed uses of the soon to be vacant Gordon Cooper Library building on Main Street. KDNK's Eric Skalac has more.

District court judge voids CMC lease for SourceGas compressor

Colorado Mountain College announced Monday that a district court judge has ruled that a controversial lease between the college and natural gas company SourceGas is void and unenforceable. KDNK's Eric Skalac has more

County health officials confirm Whooping Cough cases in Carbondale

Last December, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment declared a pertussis, or whooping cough, epidemic in Colorado.

And this week, officials confirmed several cases of whooping cough, all in the Carbondale area.

KDNK's Eric Skalac spoke to Sara Brainard, Immunization Director for Garfield County Public Health to find out what symptoms to be on the lookout for, and what precautions Carbondale residents can take.

BLM temporarily suspends Thompson Divide leases pending environmental review

The Bureau of Land Management announced Tuesday that several gas leases in the Thompson Divide will be suspended. KDNK's Eric Skalac has more.

Parachute Creek, groundwater contaminated by hydrocarbon spill (Updated 5/1)

Investigation continues into the source of a spill of liquid hydrocarbons near Parachute Creek, but Williams officials now believe the source to be a failed pressure guage on a pipeline owned by Williams Partners. 

Several monitoring wells around the creek have shown benzene levels greatly exceeding the EPA standards for drinking water. 

KDNK News has provided ongoing coverage of the spill, which you can listen to in our news archives.

Jobs still tough to come by despite improving market

A few bright spots are emerging in the Roaring Fork Valley's economy: local unemployment rates have fallen in the last two years, and in some towns, like Carbondale, permit applications for new construction are picking up.

But how does the valley's economy look from the bottom of the labor market ladder? KDNK's Nelson Harvey caught up with some day laborers in Carbondale recently to find out.

Public involvement important to CDale code rewrite

Carbondale's planning and zoning commission outlined their plan for the town's coming development code rewrite, emphasizing the public's role in the process. KDNK's Eric Skalac spoke to the commission chair Charlie Kees to find out more.

Hickenlooper in Glenwood Springs for RFTA natural gas buses

Governor Hickenlooper made a visit to Glenwood Springs today to commemorate the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority's new natural gas bus system. KDNK's Ed Williams was there and filed this report.

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