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KDNK's Spring Membership Drive kicks off April 3rd at the Village Smithy. Join or renew early!

Local Newscast: Jordan Cove Pipeline Backers to Reapply

Peggy Tibbetts

KDNK's Local Newscast airs weekday mornings at 6:41 and 7:41 during Morning Edition.

The head of Colorado’s Transportation system says increasing the state’s gas tax and working with the private sector are the only ways to finish projects and relieve traffic congestion. Bente Birkeland has more.

A new partnership between Eagle, Garfield, Pitkin and Mesa counties will assist veterans, disabled and elderly residents with a shuttle. Running twice a month on second and fourth Thursdays, the the GEM Connector Shuttle will drop off at Valley View Hospital and the VA Clinic in Glenwood, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Grand Junction Community Hospital and the Grand Junction VA Hospital. It departs the Gypsum Park and Ride at 7:15 a.m. and continues to West Glenwood Park and Ride, then to Rifle and New Castle as needed with the final stops in Mesa County. Pitkin County residents are able to access the GEM Connector through VelociRFTA or RFTA paratransit services. To qualify and schedule a ride on the shuttle, residents must contact their local transit agency or county veterans service officer. A 48 hour advance reservation is required with the local transit agency. More info at mtnride.org.

If Xcel Energy’s new rates are approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, electricity prices will go down by about one third of a cent but gas prices will go up by nine cents starting January 1st . Based on filings made yesterday, natural gas bills could by 13 to 14 percent higher than Q1 of this year. Thanks to historically low nat gas prices, Xcel customers will still see lower bills than in years past.

The Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees met in Glenwood Springs this week and a work session on tuition and budget, in advance of setting tuition in January, led to a headline in Thursday’s Post Independent warning an 11% budget increase could be set for next school year. Trustees were shown the budget impacts of any changes in tuition or property tax revenues, including the continuation of a large projected drop in oil and gas property taxes. CMC’s tuition rate for bachelor’s courses has not increased since they were introduced and trustees heard from staff that, even with any tuition increases under consideration, the college would remain the most affordable in the state. CMC trustees will formally act on next school year’s tuition rates at their January 25th meeting.

 
Roaring Fork School District plans to delay the start of the 2017 school year by two weeks to minimize the impacts from the Grand Avenue Bridge closure and construction on facilities throughout the district. RFSD wants public input and has launched a new survey to gather feedback. You can find the proposed calendar and survey at rfsd.k12.co.us.
 

The US Forest Service has released a draft decision on new projects at Copper Mountain Resort. The environmental assessment describes potential impacts of an alpine coaster, a new bike trail, more snowmaking infrastructure, and construction of a new drainage management system. The decision sets in motion a 45-day objection period. More information is available on the White River National Forest website at fs.fed.us.
 

 
Last week, Federal regulators announced they will not reconsider their decision made last spring to deny a license for the proposed Jordan Cove liquified natural gas terminal in Coos Bay, Oregon and a 230-mile feeder pipeline. It's a victory for environmentalists and property owners along the pipeline route. But, what does that mean for western Colorado natural gas that industry, legislators, and trade groups want to export to Asian markets? For this week's News Brief, KDNK's Amy Hadden Marsh speaks with Peggy Tibbetts, Silt resident and author of the blog From the Styx, who has been writing extensively about the issue. On Thursday, December 15th, Veresen, the Canadian company spearheading the Jordan Cove project, announced that it plans to reapply for a permit.

 

Gavin became one of the youngest station managers in public radio on February 1, 2017. He is a writer and producer with a passion for community media. Prior to starting at KDNK as news director in 2016, Gavin worked for national radio programs Alternative Radio with David Barsamian and Nonprofit Radio with Tony Martignetti along with local stations KGNU Boulder, KYRS Spokane, KRBX Boise, KAOS Olympia, and Air America Radio affiliate KPTK Seattle. His nonprofit management experience includes Open Media Foundation, where he led a government transparency team, and Common Frequency, where his policy advocacy supported dozens of noncommercial radio startups. Boulder Weekly, Raw Story, Austin American-Statesman, Boise Weekly, and The Sopris Sun have published his reporting. His TV credits include directing teams at Colorado Channel, crewing for Democracy Now!, and hosting on Free Speech TV. He graduated from the Evergreen State College in 2008 with a BA in media production and community organizing.