Stories in this list received the most page views on SummitDaily.com from Sept. 14-20. 

1. Two Hacienda Real workers detained by federal officials during immigration operations in Summit County, according to Voces Unidas

Two workers, a cook and a waiter at Hacienda Real, were taken into custody by federal agents during immigration enforcement operations in Summit County on Tuesday, according to Voces Unidas. 

Voces Unidas President and CEO Alex Sanchez, in an interview with Summit Daily News, said his team has verified the detainments by using U.S. Immigration and Enforcement agency databases after speaking with family members of the detained workers. Summit Daily News has not been able to independently verify the detainments.

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— Summit Daily staff

2. Citizen group breathes second life into ballot initiative seeking an end to wolf reintroductions by 2026

After failing to collect enough signatures in its first attempt, a citizen group is rebooting an effort to get a measure ending Colorado wolf reintroductions on the state’s November 2026 ballot. 

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On Friday, Sept.12, Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy filed draft ballot language with the Colorado Legislative Council — the first step toward getting a citizen initiative on a ballot in Colorado. 

The measure will need to be approved by the Title Board and collect around 125,000 signatures from Colorado registered voters to make it on the 2026 ballot. 

Patrick Davis, Smart Wolf Policy’s lead organizer, said the language is identical to what was previously submitted and approved by the Title Board this spring.  

The ballot measure proposes ending the state’s reintroduction of gray wolves by Dec. 31, 2026.

In its first attempt, Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy fell short of the requirement to make it on the ballot by around 100,000 signatures. 

Davis said that a lack of funds was what led to the inability to collect the required signatures by its Aug. 27 deadline. He claimed that around $1 million was needed to collect enough signatures.  

This fundraising was further hindered by opposition to the measure from a coalition of northwest Colorado commissioners and agriculture groups, Davis claimed. The coalition claimed that the initiative failed to get input from the stakeholders most affected by Colorado’s reintroduction efforts and ran contrary to the outcomes landowners and producers were angling for.

According to the secretary of state’s campaign finance database, Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy had raised $38,897 as of July 15 and spent just over $30,000.   

In this second attempt, Davis said the group is “engaging early with stakeholder groups and major donors in and out of Colorado to raise the resources necessary to get this initiative on the ballot.”

Colorado’s reintroduction of gray wolves began with a citizen-led ballot initiative in 2020. Voters approved Proposition 114 by a margin of 56,986 votes, requiring Colorado Parks and Wildlife to create a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves. It required the agency to release wolves by Dec. 31, 2023. 

The resulting wolf management plan recommended Colorado release between 30-50 wolves in three to five years. Parks and Wildlife has released 25 wolves in the first two years of the restoration effort, and is planning to do at least one more release of wolves this winter.  

Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy has cited escalating costs of the wolf program, growing conflict between livestock and wolves and how Parks and Wildlife is managing the conflict as reasons no more wolves should be released after 2026. 

Multiple attempts have now been made to pause or halt the release of additional wolves in Colorado. 

Most recently, Western Slope legislators failed to mandate a one-year pause in a special session budget bill. This week, a group of 29 agricultural groups and elected officials announced they filed a petition with Parks and Wildlife to pause releases for at least one year. 

— Ali Longwell

3. All Summit County ski resorts report snow, and meteorologists say more could be on its way

Nearly a week after local officials moved fire danger to moderate and removed any fire restrictions, Summit County has received its first snowflakes of the season. On Saturday, Sept. 13, Copper Mountain Resort, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area and Keystone Resort announced that they received their first snowfall of the season, and Breckenridge Ski Resort and Loveland Ski Area followed suit on Sunday. Meteorologists say there’s potentially more snow in the forecast. 

National Weather Service Boulder meteorologist Bernie Meier said dry conditions will likely persist throughout Monday, but late Tuesday afternoon could bring another sprinkling of snow to Summit County’s mountains. 

“People can expect those peaks to probably (turn) to white, especially if things are clearing out later Wednesday and into Thursday morning,” he said. 

As of Sept. 14, all Summit County ski resorts and the nearby Loveland Ski Area reported receiving their first snowflakes. This trails over a week behind last year’s first snow fall, which occurred for some Summit County ski resorts on Sept. 5. 

With ski season just around the corner, a westerly flow coming in from the north might bring a dusting of snow to high-elevation areas in Summit, particularly to north-facing areas, Meier said. This could translate to rain in lower elevation areas on Tuesday afternoon. He said things will be a bit cooler Tuesday and Wednesday, with highs in the 60s. 

Wednesday could also bring murky weather, with sporadic showers and a possible thunderstorm in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, before skies potentially clear Wednesday night into Thursday. Thursday is expected to remain fairly sunny. Mostly sunny weather will continue into Friday, when things could warm back up to 70 degrees. Friday night has a small chance of thunderstorms, as does Saturday. 

— Kit Geary

4. A group of producers and elected officials is again asking Colorado Parks and Wildlife to hit pause on wolves

A group of 29 agricultural groups, hunting organizations and county commissioners is asking Colorado Parks and Wildlife not to release any more wolves until next winter. 

The entities submitted a citizen petition to the agency on Sept. 5, marking the latest attempt to pause Colorado’s voter-mandated wolf reintroduction as concerns percolate about rising costs, livestock losses and a feeling of unpreparedness to deal with wolves on the ground from some communities and producers. 

“Ranchers are doing everything we can to coexist, but the state has not held up its end of the deal,” said Tim Ritschard, representing one of the petition’s signing organizations, Middle Park Stockgrowers, in a news release. “When wolves kill our cattle, our families pay the price emotionally, financially, and generationally. Until (Colorado Parks and Wildlife) can demonstrate it can manage the wolves already here, adding more is irresponsible.”

The petition was also signed by the Gunnison County Stockgrowers Association, Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Wool Growers Association, Holy Cross Cattlemen’s Association, county commissions from Grand, Delta, Moffat, Garfield, Rio Blanco, Mesa, Montrose and Jackson counties, and 16 other entities.  

The groups are asking Parks and Wildlife to delay wolf releases until at least Nov. 16, 2026. The petitioners argue that the one-year delay will give the state time to address program shortfalls and fully meet the intent of Proposition 114, the measure voters passed in 2020 to initiate wolf reintroduction

“The (Parks and Wildlife) Commission met its obligation to begin reintroduction by 2023,” said Erin Spaur, president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. “Now it must meet its equally important obligation to resolve conflicts.” 

Proposition 114 required Colorado Parks and Wildlife to develop a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves in the state, begin reintroduction by Dec. 31, 2023, and use state funds to help producers prevent wolf conflicts and pay fair compensation for livestock losses. 

— Ali Longwell

5. VIDEO: Summit County ski areas announce first snowfall of the season

Several Summit County ski areas announced that they received their first snowflakes of the season on social media Saturday, Sept. 13.

Copper Mountain Resort posted a video showing snowfall at the top of the Excelerator lift. “First flakes are in, let’s start it up!” the post states.

Keystone Resort also celebrated September snowflakes with video and a photo in a Facebook post.

“A little bit of September thundersnow this afternoon to remind you … winter is coming!” the post states.

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area Chief Operating Officer Al Henceroth said in a blog post Saturday that A-Basin received snowfall, as well. 

“Okay, I promise the weather does look good for tomorrow, but we also saw our first snow of the year today,” Henceroth wrote.

The ski area also posted about the snowfall on social media.

Breckenridge Ski Resort and Loveland Ski Area made announcements on Sunday, Sept. 14, that they received snowfall overnight.

“Ullr paid us a visit over night, delivering our first real snow of the season across Breck’s Five Peaks!” Breckenridge Ski Resort stated in a Facebook post.

In Summit County, A-Basin and Keystone have both announced they plan to open as soon as conditions allow. Copper Mountain and Breckenridge Ski Resort are set to hold their opening days on Friday, Nov. 7. Just outside Summit County, Loveland Ski Area also plans to open as soon as conditions allow. 

— Matt Hutcheson