The Utah Legislature passed a lengthy election security bill last week.

Last week’s winter storm brought snowpack levels up to 85% of the seasonal median in the Dolores River Basin and the storm this weekend could bring levels up to 100% of the median. And law enforcement has detected a “particularly deadly” batch of the synthetic opioid Fentanyl circulating in San Miguel county.

A local man was attacked by a mountain lion this week in Montezuma County. And Colorado lawmakers are advancing a plan to install a network of cameras to constantly monitor for the start of wildfires.

COVID-19 can be a very dangerous virus for pregnant women who have not been vaccinated against it. Unvaccinated pregnant women are at especially high risk of severe complications, which can affect both the mother and her unborn child. Experts say the vaccine is completely safe to take, but here in Montezuma County, vaccination rates among pregnant women remain low.

A new report from the United Nations’ panel on climate change lays out a grim picture of the future that includes more shortages for the already-dry Colorado River basin. A republican bill in Utah banning pornographic materials in schools passed the state’s House on Tuesday. And, the Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 School Board appointed Harry Tom Burrus as the district’s interim superintendent.

Coloradans who want to replace their water-hungry lawns to save money and fight drought conditions are on the verge of getting more help from the state. And as spring approaches, Utah wildlife officials are asking boaters to plan ahead before visiting Lake Powell.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis says the state is moving to a new, less restrictive phase of the pandemic response because of rapidly dropping case numbers. And the Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 School District is holding a special board meeting on Tuesday with only one action item on the agenda: to appoint an interim superintendent for the school district.

A federal appeals court ruled this week against environmental groups and an Arizona tribe in their bid to keep a uranium mine south of the Grand Canyon from operating. And in Colorado, a proposed diversion to carry water out of the San Luis Valley and into Douglas County is drawing opposition from farmers, environmentalists, and politicians.

The Bureau of Land Management wants to expand environmental protections around Chaco Canyon in New Mexico after the Biden Administration first announced the plan last year. In the process, it would restrict new fossil fuel extraction over hundreds of thousands of acres. This week , it held the first public meetings about its proposal and is already hearing from concerned community members.

Democrats at the Colorado statehouse are blocking new Republican efforts to ban abortions. The City of Cortez and Montezuma County have announced their choice for Cortez Municipal Airport’s new airline. And one of the candidates for Cortez City Council has dropped out of the race.