Glenwood Springs’ planning commission voted 5–1 to revoke a decades-old permit for an ICE short-term detention facility after evidence showed repeated violations of a 12-hour holding limit since 2011. Prior to the key P&Z meeting, Glenwood staff recommend upholding ICE facility’s permit.
The decision followed community complaints and data analysis revealing a pattern of overlong detentions.
Officials warned the facility may not immediately close, citing possible federal preemption and legal challenges.
This story was produced through a social justice reporting collaboration between @aspenjournalism and @aspenpublicradio
#ICE #GlenwoodSprings #GlenwoodSpringsCO #SocialJustice #nonprofitjourbnalism #newsCOneeds
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement data analysis by Aspen Journalism of an ICE detention facility in Glenwood Springs found at least 17 over-limit detentions since 2011, prompting scrutiny and an April 28 hearing held by the city’s planning commission to decide whether to revoke the facility’s special use permit after multiple detainees were found to have been held there for more than 12 hours.
Ahead of the hearing, Glenwood Springs officials have recommended upholding the special use permit for an ICE detention facility despite data showing repeated violations of its 12-hour holding limit. Instead of revoking the special use permit, they suggested requiring ICE and the GSA to provide “quarterly reporting of the number of detainees that have been processed at the facility and the amount of time that each detainee is held in order to determine compliance.”
#ICE #ICEviolation #ICEdetention #GlenwoodSpringsColorado #GlenwoodSprings #Colorado
Part 3: The history of B. Clark Wheeler, arguably one of Aspen's first larger-than-life characters in its long lineage of big personalities. As the indomitable man who trekked through driven winter snows to hammer a few stakes into pristine wilderness and name that 1880 mining camp “Aspen,” he lit a long fuse in time that begot today’s bastion of billionaires.
#AspenColorado #ColoradoHistory #ColoradoMining #AspenMountain #AspenBillionaires #AspenHistory @historyaspen
In part two of a three-part series about B. Clark Wheeler recounts a brief, turbulent mayoralty and mounting legal troubles during Aspen’s silver boom. Elected in 1890, Wheeler balanced roles as a promoter, miner and politician while facing accusations of manipulation and financial instability. As lawsuits and debts mounted, he delayed obligations and maneuvered assets. His experience reflects both his volatile leadership style and the broader speculative, boom-and-bust conditions shaping Aspen’s early development.
@AspenTimes@historyaspen #AspenCO #Aspencolorado #aspenhistory #coloradohistory #colorado
The @aspenjournalism history desk profiles Benjamin Clark Wheeler as a pivotal, polarizing force in Aspen’s early years. Arriving in 1880, he helped plat and name the town, promote mining investment and shape local politics as mayor and state senator. His aggressive business tactics and attempts to control key resources sparked conflicts, even as his efforts fueled growth. Wheeler’s ventures brought uneven success, leaving a contested but lasting imprint on Aspen’s development.
This is the first of a three-part series chronicling the life and times of B. Clark Wheeler, one of the most influential figures in Aspen history.
#AspenColorado #AspenHistory @historyaspen@denverlibrary #AspenCO #ColoradoHistory #mininghistory
As the worst snowpack and runoff in decades threatens to strain our already scarce shared water resources, how we manage and conserve water has never been more important.
Local leaders from across key water-use sectors — agriculture, municipal, and environmental stewardship — discuss how each is navigating uncertainty and adapting to change.
This panel discussion, presented by Aspen Journalism in collaboration with the Ruth Powell Hutchins Water Center at Colorado Mesa University will be followed by an audience Q&A. Hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be provided.
Panelists include Tina Bergonzini, general manager of the Grand Valley Water Users Association; Dave Payne, assistant manager of Ute Water; Matt Rice, southwest regional director of @americanrivers ; and Raquel Flinker, director of interstate and regional water resources for the @coloradoriverdistrict . @AspenJournalism Water Desk Editor Heather Sackett will moderate.
Location:
Colorado Mesa University, University Center – UC West Ballroom, 1455 N 12th St, Grand Junction, CO 81501. The University Center building is #61 on the linked Campus Map.
Date and Time:
Wednesday, May 6. Doors at 5:15 p.m., event begins at 5:30 and will wrap up by 7 p.m.
Link in bio to learn more & RSVP to the free event.
A California investment firm has acquired seven mobile home parks across Colorado’s Western Slope, raising questions about housing stability, resident protections and the future of one of the region’s most affordable housing options.
Aspen Journalism reports that the purchases by Primrose Real Estate span communities from Rifle to Grand Junction, representing a significant share of manufactured housing in Mesa County. While some residents are exploring paths to resident ownership, others face uncertainty as ownership shifts to an out-of-state investor.
The story examines how these deals are structured, what legal protections exist for residents, and how local housing markets are responding.
Read the full story at the link in bio.
#MesaCounty #WesternSlope #mobilehomeparks #Rifle #GrandJunctionCO #GlenwoodSpringsCO #affordablehousing #colorado
Produced by @aspenjournalism
Printed in @aspendailynews
A March heat wave accelerated snowmelt across the region, leading to the lowest end-of-winter snowpack on record.
@AspenJournalism reports how a warm, dry March compounded an already weak season, rapidly diminishing snowpack levels at a critical time, and what junior water users might expect this summer.
Read more from Aspen Journalism at the link in bio.
Amid one of the worst snowpack years on record, Denver Water and Xcel Energy enacted a rare agreement to ease looming shortages by allowing additional diversions from the Colorado River. The temporary policy reduces flows required at the Shoshone hydropower plant by half, enabling more water storage and use for the Front Range’s 1.5 million residents. As a result, Western Slope users may see shifting river flows until May 20.
#ColoradoRiver #WesternWater #WesternSlope #FrontRange #DenverWater #ColoradoWater #Shoshone #GlenwoodCanyon #RoaringForkRiver #Headwaters #Colorado
Facing years of overcrowding, habitat strain and unmanaged parking at North Star Nature Preserve, Pitkin County’s updated management plan introduces a “peak-use” policy to limit visitation during high-traffic periods. The plan outlines 39 ecological and social indicators to guide future restrictions, which could affect access, parking and recreation timing. Officials say the changes aim to protect sensitive wildlife habitat while maintaining sustainable public use.
#AspenCO #Aspencolorado #PitkinCounty @aspenjournalism #nonprofitnews #newsCOneeds
Upper Colorado River Basin states are testing new methods to create a “contribution pool” in Lake Powell, aiming to boost reservoir levels amid ongoing drought and management negotiations. New Mexico plans to release leased water from Navajo Reservoir, while officials explore alternatives to traditional agricultural conservation, which can be unreliable in dry years. The effort reflects growing consensus that a formal Upper Basin conservation pool is likely in future river management.
Thank you to @Ecoflight for the image
#Colorado #NewMexico #Wyoming #Utah #WaterManagement #ColoradoRiver #LakePowell #WesternWater #nonprofit #NewsCONeeds
Data analysis shows an ICE holding facility in Glenwood Springs may have detained individuals longer than the 12-hour limit set by both internal policy and its city-issued special use permit. City officials say they are investigating further, and if confirmed, it could trigger a planning and zoning hearing and possible permit revocation, potentially forcing the facility’s closure.
#ICE #GlenwoodSprings #SocialJustice
