News

The Glenwood Springs Citizens’ Alliance filed a lawsuit Monday against the Bureau of Land Management, arguing the federal agency has failed to regulate mining activity at the Mid-Continent Quarry outside of Glenwood Springs.

The lawsuit claims the Bureau of Land Management has allowed Rocky Mountain Industrials, the operator of the Mid-Continent Quarry, to mine and sell certain types of limestone that are not allowed under the company’s federal permit. 

Pitkin County public health officials said Monday that 13 visitors to Aspen are currently under self-isolation after coming into contact with a 21-year old Australian woman who tested positive for COVID-19 in her home country after visiting Aspen.

Those 13 people, all of Australian nationality, traveled to the area with the young woman who developed the new coronavirus. 

The City of Glenwood Springs is holding its first virtual town hall Tuesday to discuss the city’s infrastructure and 2020 projects.

Jonathan Godes, the mayor of Glenwood Springs, says it will allow more residents to be informed by getting information directly from the city council.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, or CDPHE, said Sunday afternoon that a woman in her twenties who was visiting Aspen returned home to Australia earlier this week, where she tested positive for COVID-19.

The individual had contact with Aspen residents and visitors at social gatherings; some of the people who had contact with the woman have reported experiencing respiratory symptoms.

Eagle County Public Health and Environment is reporting the first positive case of COVID-19, or coronavirus, in the county. 

The patient is a woman in her 50s visiting the area and likely exposed during international travel. The patient was not hospitalized and is recovering in isolation. The patient is working with public health officials in the ongoing investigation to identify people that may have had close exposure. The case is presumptive positive, which means test results haven’t yet been confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Four eighth-grade students at Riverview School are hosting Empowerfest Friday. The event highlights female leaders as well as local organizations working to promote equality for all genders, races and abilities.

Students Sage Kaufman, Kate Hardaker, Taia Nykerk and Lily Stelzriede worked since the beginning of the school year to recruit speakers and local organizations for Friday's event.

Atlanta-based artist Lonnie Holley visits Aspen this weekend. The musician, filmmaker and sculptor is driven by what he calls “improvisational curiosity.” 

Holley’s work looks at race, struggle and spontaneity. His found-object sculptures have been displayed in museums across the U.S. 

Colorado currently has no confirmed cases of the coronavirus, but Pitkin County Public Health Director Karen Koenemann said officials are taking precautions should the illness arrive in the area. 

“We really do believe it's not if, it's when, we will have cases in Colorado,” Koenemann said. “We may have cases in Pitkin County. And so I think just being aware and being prepared for that is where we're at right now.”

Actors from the Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s Violence Prevention Program performed at Basalt Middle School last week. The program uses live performances and roleplay to teach students Shakespeare literacy and ways to intervene when they see violence in school.

Aspen School District's Board of Education announced four finalists for the district's new superintendent. The board initially interviewed 24 candidates and now the finalists will head into the final-round interviews on Tuesday, March 3.