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Vol. 142. No. 8
Thursday, February 23, 2023
City joins fight against ‘forever’ chemicals Enters lawsuit against PFAS manufacturers Bella Biondini Times Editor
Last week, the City of Gunnison entered a cost-recovery lawsuit against the global manufacturers of a large and harmful group of chemicals that may stay in the body indefinitely once they are ingested. Although small traces of perPFAS A6
INSIDE
TODAY
NEWS: Medicaid continuous enrollment to end, A8
COMMUNITY: Sweaty Kids Film Festival enters fourth year, B1
SPORTS: GHS girls basketball wins first round of districts, B5
OBITUARY A2 OPINION A4-A5 CLASSIFIEDS A14-A17 SPORTS B5
Royce Uhrig wins second state title
On the night of Gunnison High School’s winter Snowball dance, Principal Jim Woytek and Assistant Principal Robin Wilkinson watch the moment Royce Uhrig won his second state championship title. Between the wrestling team’s state performance and the girls basketball triumph in the first round of districts, it was an inspiring weekend for Cowboy athletics. For more, see B10.
County to receive new floodplain maps Redrawn boundaries could affect insurance requirements Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer
In ju st a couple years, Gunnison County will have upto-date floodplain maps, replacing the nearly decade-old maps with modern ones. Floodplain maps can affect everything from flood insurance requirements, emergency management plans
and even building permits. Come 2026, these new maps — drawn up with modern technology — may change the boundaries of the floodplain, meaning some residences may need to get flood insurance and others may be able to let it go. A floodplain map uses topographic and terrain data to model where water may travel in the watershed in the event of significant precipitation. The updated maps will capture more than a decade of development in the valley, but also any natural changes in the hydrology or hydrography of the river. “Through time, the river Floodplain A6
Abby Harrison
The last two floodplain maps were drawn for the county in 1984 (left) and 2013 (right). The mapping process has now been entirely digitized, and physical maps are a relic of the past.
Rec Center plot eyed as future location of Gunnison transit center RTA board considers parking, loss of field space Bella Biondini Times Editor
ONLINE GUNNISONTIMES.COM
Abby Harrison
The Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA)
chose the Gunnison Rec Center as its “preferred” location for the future construction of a transit center. By definition, a transit center is a central hub that serves as a connection point for other bus service lines or methods of transportation. Oftentimes, transit centers act as a “park and ride” facility and a way to reach downtown or major shopping areas. They usually provide
shelter for users waiting to catch a bus or a ride, restrooms and an information center. In 2019, RTA staff identified potential locations for a transit center within Gunnison during the development of the City of Gunnison’s most recent comprehensive plan, but the pandemic put the search on pause. The sites surveyed included the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, the northeast
corner of New York Avenue and Pine Street, Teller and Hwy. 50 near the visitor center and the preferred Gunnison Rec Center. Some of the criteria used to evaluate each possible location were its proximity to affordable housing, Western Colorado University and groceries, as well as ease of access for cyclists and pedestrians and Hwy. 50 and 135. The Gunnison RTA A7