Top five most-read stories last week

Stories in this list received the most page views on aspentimes.com from June 16-23. 

1.Here’s which Colorado public lands could be sold under the latest Republican budget proposal 

Over 14 million acres of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land in Colorado could be eligible for sale in Senate Republicans’ latest budget proposal, according to a new analysis from The Wilderness Society. A different analysis from the Outdoor Alliance found that over 17 million acres could be sold in the state. 

Under the proposal from the Senate Energy & Natural Resources committee, the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture would be required to sell between 0.5% and 0.75% of the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands over the next five years in all Western states, except for Montana. 

This would obligate the sale of between 1.2 million and 1.8 million acres of Bureau land, and between 811,000 and 1.2 million acres of Forest Service land. The federal agencies would be required to nominate tracts every 60 days until these targets are met. 

-Ali Longwell

2. Bicyclist found dead near Carbondale identified as Glenwood Springs man 

The Garfield County Coroner’s Office has identified the man found dead alongside westbound Colorado Highway 82 near Carbondale on Sunday as 38-year-old Matthew Cox of Glenwood Springs.

Authorities responded to the scene around 10:18 a.m. Sunday after Cox was discovered down an embankment off the westbound shoulder near mile marker 10.5. He appeared to have been riding his bicycle from Carbondale to Glenwood Springs on Friday evening, according to a release from the coroner’s office.

Initial reports from the Colorado State Patrol described the case as a possible hit-and-run, but autopsy results released Monday from the coroner’s office have since clarified that no traumatic injuries were found and that the cause of death remains undetermined. His official cause and manner of death remain pending further toxicology, pathology and investigative results.

-Taylor Cramer 

3. ICE aims to move agents closer to Pitkin County, sheriff says 

Pitkin County Sheriff Michael Buglione on Friday met with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s field office director to discuss ICE activities in the community. 

According to Buglione, the ICE field office director reached out to him because they are “looking to bring agents closer to our community.” Currently, the nearest ICE field office is in Grand Junction. 

The ICE official gave assurances that the federal agency won’t be conducting any raids or arrests in the area without the sign-off of the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office. 

-Colin Suszynski 

4. Bear encounter near Aspen drives campground tent ban 

A close encounter between a black bear and two children has prompted the U.S. Forest Service to prohibit tents at a campground near Aspen.

The bear scratched and left puncture marks in a tent containing a boy and girl at Difficult Campground four miles east of Aspen toward Independence Pass. The children were both under the age of 12, officials estimated.

The incident occurred between late Monday night and early Tuesday morning, according to a Difficult Campground host who wished to remain anonymous for personal privacy reasons

-Skyler Stark-Ragsdale 

5. Highway 82 westbound reopens after fatal cyclist accident near Carbondale 

A fatal incident involving a bicyclist temporarily closed westbound Colorado Highway 82 near Carbondale on Sunday, as Colorado State Patrol continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.

Emergency alerts initially reported the closure at mile marker 12 near the Highway 133 intersection around 10:20 a.m. Sunday. Garfield County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Walter Stowe said the bicyclist was discovered down an embankment along the westbound shoulder, but the incident may have occurred several hours earlier.

Colorado State Patrol initially categorized the case as a hit-and-run. However, the official cause of death remains undetermined as of Sunday afternoon.

-Taylor Cramer