Local government accountability reporter at @FortWorthReport, sparkling water enthusiast
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Drew Shaw
Rifle green-lights data center regulations
Regarding noise, data centers would not be allowed to produce more than 45 decibels when heard from the property line of a home, school, park or hospital during the day, and no more than 40 decibels when heard from those property lines at night. Those levels are around the loudness of an average dishwasher. Rifle will also regulate the low-frequency hums that can’t always be heard by the human ear, but can still cause physical stress if too loud.
Godes flips Garfield commissioner seat
Garfield County residents elected Democrat Jonathan Godes to an open seat on the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, flipping a seat blue on the all-Republican body. Godes took 53.05% of the votes, leading by a count of 1,507, according to unofficial results as of 6 p.m. on Wednesday, beating out his opponent, Eric Rudd. Godes said Rudd conceded in a phone call Wednesday afternoon. Rudd did not respond to requests for comment from the Aspen Daily News.
Godes takes early lead in Garfield commissioner’s race
Democratic candidate Jonathan Godes was leading in votes over Republican Eric Rudd for an open seat on the Garfield Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, potentially on track to flip a seat blue on the historically all-Republican body. Incomplete and unofficial returns showed Godes had garnered 10,693 votes, or 53.7%, while Republican candidate Eric Rudd had secured 9,229 votes, or 46.3%, in the race.
Basalt delays decision on mixed housing, storage project
The Basalt Town Council voted 5-2 last week to again delay a final decision on a proposed project to turn a steel fabrication warehouse into a mixed-use residential and storage development. The delay followed about 2.5 hours of discussion that saw mixed residential pushback and support, developer concessions and questions from council members. The board is scheduled to consider the project again Nov. 10. The first reading of the project was continued four times after its introduction in March.
Resource-rich Garfield County split on ‘right to natural gas’
Ahead of Tuesday’s election, a proposed amendment that would enshrine Coloradans’ “right to natural gas” in the state constitution has organizations and political leaders split across fossil fuel-rich Garfield County. Amendment 82 was brought to the ballot primarily by the conservative political nonprofit Advance Colorado. The group spent millions of dollars — — on a campaign to collect the over 124,230 voter signatures needed to put the proposition on the ballot.
Forest Service finalizes PitCo Maroon Bells arrangement
U.S. Forest Service officials on Friday approved a permit allowing Pitkin County to take over management of the Maroon Bells Scenic Area for the next five years. The final approval comes after months of the county weighing whether to take over day-to-day maintenance of the highly frequented nature area. The Forest Service would still own the land, but the county would run operations for at least five years. The agency has for years run the area at a $300,000 annual shortfall.
Resource-rich Garfield County split on ‘right to natural gas’
Ahead of Tuesday’s election, a proposed amendment that would enshrine Coloradans’ “right to natural gas” in the state constitution has organizations and political leaders split across fossil fuel-rich Garfield County. Amendment 82 was brought to the ballot primarily by the conservative political nonprofit Advance Colorado. The group spent millions of dollars — gathered from undisclosed donors — on a campaign to collect the over 124,230 voter signatures needed to put the proposition on the ballot.
Carl’s Pharmacy, Miners’ Building to be sold to 2 real estate agents
The Bergmans purchased the small drugstore located in the 306 E. Main St. building shortly after moving to Aspen for skiing opportunities, according to the Aspen Hall of Fame’s website. In 1976, the couple built the Miners’ Building on a vacant lot on the other side of Main Street and opened a hardware store. They went on to take prominent roles in preserving Aspen’s history.
Residents push back against Harvest project
Roaring Fork Valley residents are prepping to once again push back against a proposed 1,500-unit master-planned community on about 283 acres along Highway 82 between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. Harvest Roaring Fork LLC, an operation under the Texas-based Realty Capital, submitted a new zoning application to Garfield County earlier this summer.
Garfield County explores locally funded fire mitigation
Garfield County is a hotbed for wildfires, and it needs to find reliable funding for fire mitigation, according to Kevin Whelan, a member of Colorado Fire Commission who has fought fires locally for decades. The solution could lie in creating a Forest Improvement Special District — a locally led, tax-funded authority that leads mitigation efforts across county and private land, Whelan told county commissioners last week.
GarCo explores locally funded fire mitigation
If the county were to move forward with creating a forest improvement district, local officials could create the district’s boundaries and structure however it wants, Whelan said. The county would share voting power with any municipalities who wish to join the district, as well as the state’s forest service, a federal land management agency and representatives from environmental, conservation and water groups.
Poll finds 81% of Coloradans against public lands drilling
A reported 98% of Coloradans support federal public lands conservation and open space. About 6% see data center development as an acceptable use of that public land. That’s according to a statewide poll released Tuesday, conducted by nonpartisan research firm Magellan Strategies and commissioned by Keep It Public CO, a collaborative of multiple environmental groups including Western Slope Conservation Center and Carbondale-based Wilderness Workshop.
Candidates pour $88K into GarCo BOCC election
The two candidates vying for Garfield County commissioner have spent a combined $87,862 trying to get elected. Roughly three quarters of that — $66,220 — is from Republican candidate Eric Rudd’s self-funded campaign. Democratic candidate Jonathan Godes has spent the other $21,642, drawing from the $34,854 he’s raised, according to campaign finance reports.
Glenwood exigirá botes de basura resistentes a los osos
El Concejo Municipal de Glenwood Springs ha tomado medidas para reemplazar todos los botes de basura residenciales de la ciudad por contenedores resistentes a la fauna silvestre, ante el aumento de la actividad de los osos. Se espera que todos los botes de basura residenciales de Glenwood Springs sean resistentes a los osos para la próxima primavera, tras una decisión del Concejo Municipal el 15 de octubre.
GarCo greenlights 98-home plan west of Glenwood
Garfield County commissioners gave the initial green light to a 98-home subdivision just west of Glenwood Springs on Monday. The Mitchell Creek Community aims to build “attainable, single-family home ownership” opportunities in the form of compact, three-to-four bedroom homes with garages. The neighborhood would replace Ami’s Acres Campground, an RV park that’s existed since 1973.
Glenwood to require bear-resistant trash bins
The Glenwood Springs City Council has moved to replace every residential trash bin across the city with wildlife-resistant ones in wake of increased bear activity. Every residential trash bin across Glenwood Springs is expected to be bear-resistant by next spring, following a city council decision on Oct. 15. The switch will cost affected homes an additional $6.40 a month, said Matthew Langhorst, public works director, at the council meeting.
GarCo grapples with 2027 budget shortfall
Garfield County commissioners are working line-by-line through the county’s proposed 2027 budget, grappling with lower revenues, higher expenses and a $12.9 million shortfall. Over October, the commissioners have listened to funding requests from county departments, external organizations and other governing bodies — all of which are asking to draw dollars from the county budget for operations and projects.
GarCo voters to weigh various tax increases
That would cost a resident approximately $17.25 per $100,000, or $86.25 annually for a home valued at $500,000. The measure would raise up to $5.6 million for the school district. A large majority of that, 80%, would go to raising teacher and staff salaries and benefits. Another 10% would fund recruitment and retention initiatives and 10% would go to the required district charter share. No funds would be used for senior district leadership salaries, according to the school district’s website.
Sacar a Parachute “del estancamiento”
Parachute está solicitando a los comisionados del condado de Garfield $600,000 para ayudar a financiar la reconstrucción del corredor de First Street. Las autoridades del pueblo esperan que el proyecto pueda ser un “catalizador” para crear un centro que atraiga negocios y visitantes. Su impacto podría sacar a Parachute, un pueblo de unos 1,400 habitantes, “del estancamiento en el que ha estado durante los últimos 30 o 40 años”, dijo el alcalde Tom Rugaard.
Los planes para arrendar terrenos para perforaciones en Roan Plateau siguen adelante
El gobierno federal tiene previsto arrendar unas 5,000 acres de terrenos públicos en Roan Plateau, en el condado de Garfield, en diciembre para futuras perforaciones. Roan Plateau se alza sobre el oeste del condado de Garfield y está siendo considerada para la perforación de pozos de petróleo y gas. Foto de cortesía por Wilderness Workshop La BLM anunció la decisión el viernes, tras aproximadamente dos meses de consultas públicas.
Xcel details causes of summer’s power outages
In these cases, regional authorities and consumers would be notified in advance. Xcel customers can also sign up to be notified in advance of anticipated potential power outages in their area. Intentional shutoffs are more common in the Front Range than the Western Slope, he noted. In December, Xcel turned off power to approximately 135,000 customers across six counties on the Front Range, as four storms came over the area simultaneously.
Roan Plateau drilling-lease plans moving forward
The federal government plans to lease about 5,000 acres of public land on Garfield County’s Roan Plateau in December for future drilling. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced the decision on Friday after about two months of public engagement. The Roan Plateau parcels are a portion of the government’s broader plan to lease 126,440 acres across the state for drilling. Those acres will add to the approximately 200,000 that the BLM has already offered up for drilling this year in Colorado.
Roan Plateau drilling-lease plans moving forward
The federal government plans to lease about 5,000 acres of public land on Garfield County’s Roan Plateau in December for future drilling. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced the decision on Friday after about two months of public engagement. The Roan Plateau parcels are a portion of the government’s broader plan to lease 126,440 acres across the state for drilling. Those acres will add to the approximately 200,000 that the BLM has already offered up for drilling this year in Colorado.
Taking Parachute ‘out of the funk’
Commissioner Mike Samson, whose west Garfield County district covers Parachute, said the town has historically been “neglected and overlooked.” But he thinks that now is the time for change. “As I look at Colorado and as I look at Garfield County, I definitely think that Parachute is going to grow,” Samson said.
GWS affordable rental project moves forward after delays
An 80-unit affordable housing project in West Glenwood Springs cleared another administrative hurdle on its yearslong journey toward breaking ground. The city’s planning and zoning commission gave preliminary approval to the Canyon Vista housing project’s platting proposal, which seeks to legally combine three separate parcels.
GarCo looks to stay in clean energy collaborative
Garfield Clean Energy helps county be energy efficient Power lines stand east of Rifle stretch toward Interstate 70 on Sept. 15.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News Garfield County commissioners appeared open to devoting $150,000 of the county’s 2027 budget to continue being a member of the Garfield Clean Energy collaborative.
Housing, affordability emerge as top issues in GarCo contest
Democrat Godes faces Republican Rudd in race for BOCC seat Jonathan Godes is the Democratic candidate for Garfield County commissioner. Godes works as director of the I-70 Coalition and formerly served as mayor of Glenwood Springs.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News Garfield County residents will elect a new District 1 commissioner in November.
Aspen Glen reattempts project in protected eagle zone
Golf company seeks to build wildlife-friendly homes The Aspen Glen Club is a private community just north of Carbondale.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News A golf company just north of Carbondale is reattempting to build homes on a 34-year-old eagle protection zone at its borders. Aspen Glen Golf Company is asking Garfield County commissioners to modify the buffer zone’s protections to allow construction of 18 homes on about 13 acres within it.
Xcel power line improvements could come to West GWS
Xcel Energy wants to rebuild a decades-old transmission line in West Glenwood Springs to meet modern wildfire mitigation and safety standards. The city’s planning and zoning commission greenlit the power provider’s plans on Sept. 22, paving the way for the city council to issue final approval. The 1.5-mile section of the transmission line within the city is part of a larger, 23-mile line running along the Colorado River from Glenwood Springs to Rifle.
U.S. beekeepers grapple with delayed pay from AI hive company
Bees clung to the frame of their hive as Derrick Maness lifted it with one hand, using the other to puff plumes of smoke over the colony to get them to retreat into the safety of the wooden box. Maness held the frame over the hive and let the bees crawl off, revealing the thick layer of fresh honeycomb they’d been making. It’s the routine he’s done thousands of times — the core of both his Silt-based business, Colorado Mountain Honey, and his passion.
U.S. beekeepers grapple with delayed pay from AI hive company
Colorado business near shuttering operations Derrick Maness, owner of Colorado Mountain Honey, prepares a bee smoker on Sept. 15, outside a classroom on his farm used for bee education.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News Bees clung to the frame of their hive as Derrick Maness lifted it with one hand, using the other to puff plumes of smoke over the colony to get them to retreat into the safety of the wooden box.
Pitkin County greenlights Maroon Bells takeover
The county would run operations of scenic area The Maroon Bells Scenic Area, pictured on May 15, has historically been run by the U.S. Forest Service at a $300,000 deficit.Aspen Daily News file Pitkin County commissioners voted unanimously to oversee operations at the Maroon Bells Scenic Area under a special-use permit from the U.S. Forest Service.
GarCo urges Forest Service to keep Sweetwater primitive
Federal officials eye the lake as a scaled-up tourist destination Sweetwater Lake sits an hour northeast of Glenwood Springs adjacent to the Flat Tops Wilderness.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News Garfield County commissioners urged U.S. Forest Service officials to keep Sweetwater Lake mostly primitive and avoid proposed scaled-up tourism development. On Monday, the commissioners unanimously approved the county’s letter to the Forest Service.
GWS tightens rules for STR permit-holders
City’s 125 short-term rentals far below the cap Glenwood Springs’ Blake Avenue has multiple short-term rental units near downtown. Glenwood Springs City Council members voted last week to raise the bar for property owners seeking to renew their short-term rental permits.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News Glenwood Springs City Council voted 4-2 to raise the bar for short-term rental permits last Thursday.
Experts, politicians urge collaboration in Western Slope water use
Colorado water experts and elected officials urged collaboration across industries, borders and political parties as the Western Slope seeks sustainable water systems that will serve future generations. The year’s unprecedented statewide drought won’t be the last, speakers said throughout Friday during the Colorado River District’s annual water seminar on Friday in Grand Junction.
Experts, politicians urge collaboration in Western Slope water use
Grand Junction seminar explores impacts of Colorado’s drought The Colorado River is pictured in central Garfield County earlier this week. The Colorado River District held its annual water seminar at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction on Friday.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News Colorado water experts and elected officials urged collaboration across industries, borders and political parties as the Western Slope seeks sustainable water systems that will serve future generations.
Data center proposals could be on GarCo’s horizon, energy company says
Holy Cross is confident county’s capacity could meet demand A Holy Cross Energy solar array sits by the Garfield County Regional Airport in Rifle on Tuesday. The company presented to Garfield County commissioners on Tuesday about its developments across the region.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News Garfield County has, so far, been largely spared from the national race to build data centers. But energy companies and municipalities don’t expect that to last forever.
U.S. Senate discusses bill seeking to stop RMI expansion
Limestone quarry neighbors Glenwood Springs Colorado senators spoke at a U.S. Senate hearing about their proposal to stop the proposed expansion to a limestone quarry near Glenwood Springs.Aspen Daily News file Colorado’s U.S. senators spoke at a hearing on Wednesday in support of their proposed bill to halt the proposed expansion of a limestone quarry on public lands neighboring Glenwood Springs.
Snowmass pauses use of pesticides, herbicides
Members of the Snowmass Village Town Council voted 4-1 last week to temporarily stop using pesticides and herbicides to mitigate weeds on town property. The moratorium comes as residents decry what they see as the town’s “aggressive” use of chemicals that are banned as public health threats in other states and countries. Such chemicals, town staff told council members, are occasionally used in town parks and along trails.
BREAKING NEWS: Mudslide closes access to Maroon Bells today
Was prompted by sudden rain over Maroon Creek Road Mud covers the section of Maroon Creek Road near mile-marker 7, where flooding and a slide occurred just after 8 a.m. Monday.
Snowmass pauses use of pesticides, herbicides
Moratorium comes amid public health concerns around the chemicals The Snowmass Village Town Council approved a moratorium on using pesticides and herbicides to fight off weeds on town property.Aspen Daily News file Members of the Snowmass Village Town Council voted 4-1 on Tuesday to temporarily stop using pesticides and herbicides to mitigate weeds on town property.
Study finds federal legislation could protect Crystal River
Federal legislation could provide sweeping protections to the Crystal River, according to a report from a group of local stakeholders summarizing two years of work. But questions remain about to what degree local control would need to be relinquished. The Crystal River Wild and Scenic Feasibility Steering Committee on Tuesday, exploring the feasibility and worth of Congress designating the Crystal River as a “Wild and Scenic” river.
El condado de Garfield acuerda ayudar a financiar la ruta Hogback de RFTA para 2027
La línea de autobús de RFTA que brinda a las comunidades del valle acceso hacia y desde Aspen obtuvo fondos para otro año, pero el futuro de la ruta después de ese periodo probablemente quedará en manos de los votantes. Los comisionados del condado de Garfield acordaron el martes aportar $200,000 para ayudar a financiar la ruta Hogback hasta 2027. El acuerdo se produce después de meses de incertidumbre sobre el futuro de la línea de autobús, que presta servicio a Silt y Rifle.
Study finds federal legislation could protect Crystal River
Report comes from local stakeholder group The Crystal River Wild and Scenic Feasibility Steering Committee released a report on Tuesday exploring whether the government’s “Wild and Scenic River” designation would be suitable for the Crystal River.Aspen Daily News file Federal legislation could provide sweeping protections to the Crystal River, according to a report from a group of local stakeholders summarizing two years of work.
GarCo agrees to help fund RFTA’s Hogback route for 2027
The RFTA bus line that provides downvalley communities access to and from Aspen secured funding for another year, but the route’s future beyond that will likely fall in the hands of voters. Garfield County commissioners agreed to help fund the Hogback route through 2027 with $200,000 on Tuesday. The agreement follows months of uncertainty on the future of the bus line, which services Silt and Rifle.
‘Love Glenwood Day’ raises awareness of quarry’s expansion plans
Businesses unite to oppose attempt to resume industrial operations Zachary Parks, owner of Invision Massage, was one business owner who participated in spreading awareness about the proposed Mid-Continent Limestone Quarry expansion, which he and other residents feel threatens the city’s tourism industry.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News The words “Don’t Mine Glenwood” could be found on brochures across Glenwood Springs over Labor Day weekend as around 175 local businesses participated in the city’s...
Public land near GWS would be made private if land swap clears Congress
Proposed exchange seeks to bypass typical BLM process Garfield County Commissioner Perry Will speaks after voting to support a land swap on July 21.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News A swath of public land in the Roaring Fork Valley could be made private in exchange for a slightly smaller chunk of ranchland in West Garfield County. U.S. Rep.
Mudslide closes Sweetwater Lake access as USFS proposes future development
Nearby residents say lake isn’t safe for large-scale tourism Mudslides cut across Sweetwater Road on Sunday, closing off access to Sweetwater Lake.Courtesy of Maira Summerlin Storms around the Flat Tops Wilderness on Sunday north of Glenwood Springs prompted several mudslides on Sweetwater Road, trapping residents and visitors to the lake, which the U.S. Forest Service is eyeing as a potential scaled-up tourist destination.
98-home development proposed west of Glenwood Springs
Planning commissioners greenlight project at current RV park site The 56-year-old Ami’s Acres Campground sits just west of Glenwood Springs city limits and is the proposed location for a new, 98-home community. The proposal was discussed by Garfield County planning commissioners last Wednesday.Drew Shaw/Aspen Daily News A proposed subdivision of around 98 homes outside Glenwood Springs won the support of the Garfield County Planning Commission last Wednesday.
Bare forests push bears close to homes
This year, the barns are bare for local beekeepers like Derrick Maness. Not only because their bees can’t find food in the statewide drought, but because bears can’t, either. Maness, who runs the Silt-based Colorado Mountain Honey, keeps around 3,000 bee colonies at more than 100 locations across Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties. In the last month, starving bears have broken into at least 20 of those locations, eating the honey and larvae of around 75 colonies, he said.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Drew
Contact Drew, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack