Bill Advances to Expand Park Access for Ute Tribes

The City of Cortez reviewed your traffic feedback and seeks public comments on a new safety action plan. The Dolores Public Library will host a local authors talk on Monday, March 10th. State Park entry fees may be waived for Ute Tribal members. And Colorado Department of Revenue has a new resource to share with taxpayers. You’re watching the “Local News Roundup,” brought to you by the LOR Foundation and Choice Building Supply. I’m Connor Shreve. A draft of the City of Cortez Safety Action Plan is available for public comment. The plan aims to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes across all modes of transportation in Cortez. Based on a survey and comments on an interactive map, the community identified speeding as the biggest traffic safety concern. As a result, the city has developed a new plan that includes speed management strategies, infrastructure, traffic control, and safety education. To comment on the new plan, visit the City of Cortez website and submit your comments before Monday, March 31st. Join author Scott Graham at 6:00 PM on Monday, March 10th at the Dolores Public Library for an author’s talk. In honor of the 10th anniversary of Graham’s first book release, Graham will discuss “Grand Canyon Sacrifice,” the first of his “National Park Mystery” series. His most recent novel, “Death Valley Duel,” the ninth book in the series, was released in 2024. A bipartisan bill to provide Ute Tribal members free entry to Colorado State Parks passed the committee vote. The bill was unanimously approved by the State Legislature’s House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee in February, and plans to expand outdoor access and connection to ancestral lands, including 43 state parks for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Mountain Ute Tribe. The legislation is supported by Ute Tribal Leaders, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. The Colorado Department of Revenue introduced an online tax benefits hub to help taxpayers save money. The resource offers tax benefit information for families, individuals, seniors, retirees, and information about charitable contributions and climate-friendly tax credits. The deadline to file 2024 income tax returns is April 15th. For more information and tax resources, visit the Colorado Department of Revenue website. You can learn more about these and other stories online at montezumalocal.news. Thanks for watching this edition of the “Local News Roundup.” I’m Connor Shreve.