Crested Butte Film Festival co-director Michael Brody joins us in the KBUT studios to discuss a film featuring one of America's most popular bands, the Avett Brothers.

"May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers" CB Film Festival Preview

The Cerro Summit Wildlife Area is 15 miles east of Montrose on Highway 50.

The area is managed by Colorado Parks & Wildlife, who was able to secure access by swapping the Chipeta Lake area on the south side of Montrose for use of this area. Chipeta Lake was becoming more of a city park than a wildlife area.

Hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing are all available at the new wildlife area, which does close from December 1 - March 31.  (Photo:  Colorado Parks & Wildlife)

New Wildlife Area Between Montrose & Blue Mesa Reservoir

Around October 10th, test flying will begin for an airborne electromagnetic study that aims to learn about how the geology, surface, and ground water interact and lead to different chemical makeups.

A large helicopter with a 60-foot hula hoop will be hovering over area the Upper East River and its tributaries in the coming weeks.

USGS Study to Learn About Surface & Groundwater in Upper East River

The decision consents to the BLM - if they choose to allow the expansion to happen at Arch Coal's West Elk Mine. The draft decision states that temporary roads will be allowed in the North Fork Coal Mining Area, a subset of the Sunset Roadless Area. There are no provisions requiring methane capture or flaring in this draft decision.

If the expansion is allowed, it's estimated that over 10 million tons of coal will be extracted and that the life of the mine will be extended 1.6 years.

Forest Service Releases Draft Decision On Possible Coal Mine Expansion

The decision consents to the BLM - if they choose to allow the expansion to happen at Arch Coal's West Elk Mine in Western Gunnison County. The draft decision states that temporary roads will be allowed in the North Fork Coal Mining Area, a subset of the Sunset Roadless Area. There are no provisions requiring methane capture or flaring in this draft decision.

If the expansion is allowed, it's estimated that over 10 million tons of coal will be extracted and that the life of the mine will be extended 1.6 years.

HCCA Responds to Potential West Elk Mine Expansion

An increase in the number of river users on the Upper Slate River from the Gunsight Bridge to the town of Crested Butte is creating a conflict between recreation and wildlife.

The Crested Butte Land Trust, who manages lands in this corridor, says they need to work towards a solution that takes into account a new and rapidly growing use - paddleboarding - while stewarding for wildlife and ranching along the waterway.

Courtney Burton of CB SUP - a paddleboard rental company - believes there a solution to reducing the conflict between recreation and wildlife can be found through education, awareness, discouraging use of the river when necessary, and by spreading use away from the waterway.

Recreation and Wildlife Conflicting On Upper Slate River

The Town Council voted unanimously in what they called a "No-brainer" to switch to Gunnison County Electric Association's Green Power Program.

The town will spend an estimate $1500 more this year because of the switch. Mayor Glenn Michel encouraged everyone in town to make the switch that will cost the average household $.84 each month.

Town Operations In Crested Butte Now Running On Green Power

Plans to pave the alley by Soupcon were met with resistance at the Crested Butte Town Council meeting on August 7th.

Residents and businessowners expressed concerns about impacts to the alley including safety, aesthetics, and the manner in which the project was put forth - namely using private funds for a public project and a lack of notice to those directly impacted.

Alley Paving Project Met w/ Opposition By "Alley Dwellers"

KBUT spoke with Aspen-based professional skier and Protect Our Winters (POW) representative Chris Davenport about the organization's views on methane venting and coal mine expansion at the West Elk Mine in Somerset.

Davenport says that if the mine is going to expand, the responsible thing to do is capture and use the methane for energy, rather than release it (and its greenhouse effects) into the atmosphere.

POW's Davenport Speaks Out Against Planned Methane Release At West Elk Mine

KBUT speaks with Jon Mugglestone, co-coordinator of the Gunnison Basin Noxious Weed Program, about efforts to protect native species on public and private lands in the Gunnison Basin.

Noxious Weed Program Aims To Protect Natural Species

Anyone that has lived in Athens, Ohio, will tell you one thing for certain:  this place is haunted.  Here is an immersive audio soundscape of a very haunted house, leading up to my favorite holiday:  Halloween!  This is BEST heard in over-ear headphones - not earbuds - for an immersive sound experience.  This project was created for educational purposes, edited in Audition, spatialized and mixed in Reaper, and assembled from a combination of Creative Common royalty-free media, movie clips, foley, and ambisonic sound (B-format) recording.  I'll be dressed as a penguin in late October.

"Your House" - MDIA 6200 Spatialized Audio Project

Photojournalist Sandra Cortner shares more stories of times past in Crested Butte. Tune in, and check a piece of history here in the Gunnison Valley.

Chad Reich

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