SNOWPACK POISED FOR DROUGHT RECOVERY
Officials say snowpack could recover Colorado’s hydrological system after last year’s drought. Federal data show the snowpack in the state’s southwest corner at 19.5 inches, 220 percent of the median snowpack Tuesday.
Colorado Climate Center climatologist Becky Bolinger says the state’s soil, reservoirs, rivers and streams could see recovery following the snow and cold that arrived in February and March.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hydrologist Greg Smith says the Upper Colorado River Basin is seeing encouraging conditions, and the Upper San Juan River Basin experienced its third-wettest March on record this year.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, about 15 percent of the state is abnormally dry and less than 1 percent is in moderate drought.
State releases free app with maps of public land trails.
LOVELAND» Colorado has a new free web and mobile application for hikers, mountain bikers and others who use the state’s public trails.
The Colorado Department of Natural Resources and Colorado Parks and Wildlife released the comprehensive statewide trail map application this month. The agencies say the Colorado Trail Explorer covers more than 39,000 miles of trails on federal, state, local and private lands with public access.
The app has information for hiking, mountain biking, equestrian riding and motorized recreation.
The app also provides offline maps for use in areas with no mobile coverage and users can record trips and field notes.
U.S. wildlife biologist pleads guilty to selling bobcat pelts.
GRAND JUNCTION»
A U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist has pleaded guilty in a yearslong criminal enterprise of hunting, skinning and selling dozens of bobcat pelts.
Thad Bingham, 46, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to a felony count of transporting and selling the pelts to international fur traders.
Court documents say Bingham and at least five others sold 51 pelts mostly to buyers in Greece from 2012 to 2016, earning about $25,600. Evans says the other conspirators have not yet been charged, noting Bingham was the leader of the group.
Grand jury indicts Arkansas man in 2017 murder on I-25.
GREELEY» A Weld County grand jury has indicted a 25-year-old Arkansas man on suspicion of murder for the 2017 shooting death of a woman on Interstate 25.
David Houston-Harvey was indicted on one count each of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, robbery and aggravated motor vehicle theft, all felonies. Houston-Harvey is accused of shooting and killing Laramie Cline while the two were traveling on I-25 through Weld County to Denver from Wyoming.
Houston-Harvey told his girlfriend that he shot Cline in the head while she was asleep in the front passenger seat of her own car. An investigation revealed the shooting occurred on southbound I-25 in Weld County. HoustonHarvey put Cline’s body in a suitcase in the trunk and drove the victim’s car to Arkansas, where he dumped her body.