Whether it is the early morning fog over the park, vivid summer sunsets or the beauty of a full moon rising, my “office” is an amazing place.

After 10 years a ranger at two Colorado state parks, I've learned no two days are the same, whether you are talking about the people, the weather or the activities that take place. A day in the life of a park ranger can bring everything from a pleasant campfire talk to a panic over a snake in a campground to a late-night fight and everything in between.

BIRTHDAYS

May 7

• Terri Festi
• Damon Stoker
• Damien Parks
• Janet McKnight* In Memory
• Dan Richards
• Trista Pryor
• Nathan Anderson
• Shaneise Stum

May 8

• Breanna Scott
• Avery Specht
• Don Kershner
• Christian Hauser
• Reygan Gibbs
• Chyann Sewell
• Leisha Gould

May 9

Attention hunters! The draw results for 2018 Colorado Sheep and Goat Hunting have been posted. Hunters who have applied for a license should receive a notification in their email inboxes Friday. Applicants who do not see an email can log into their Colorado Parks and Wildlife account at https://www.cpwshop.com and check for updated information.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

• PRIMARY NESTING SEASON -  March 15^th-  July 15 - NO CRP Contract Management ALLOWED 
• FARM LOAN Personnel in Kiowa County Service Center – Tuesday, June 6^th 
• FSA County Committee Meeting – June 12^th  
• CRP Continuous Signup - CRP Grassland OFFERS ONLY.  Producers interested are urged to contact FSA Office. NOW!!- File form CCC-633 EZ page 1 with FSA before losing beneficial inte

Conditions Report - Statewide

Rivers and Creeks

Whitewater rafting and kayaking enthusiasts, who make the Arkansas River one of the most popular whitewater rivers in the nation, received good news this week from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), which manages flows in the river.

The BOR released its May forecast regarding the availability of water for the Voluntary Flow Management Program (VFMP) in the Arkansas River for the upcoming whitewater season and projected a minimum of 10,000 acre feet of water will be available for recreational purposes.

ELECTION NEWS

What will be on the June 26, 2018 Primary Mail Ballot?

Some heavy hitters were invited by Colorado State University to speak at the inaugural Water in the West Symposium in Denver last week, including U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, the prior secretary of agriculture; Tom Vilsack of Iowa; U.S. Sen. Michael Bennett; and Gov. John Hickenlooper.

A new National Park Service report shows that 6,536 visitors to Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site in 2017 spent $373,700 in communities near the park. That spending supported seven jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $375,300.

During the next several weeks, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct two major mid-year surveys, the June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey. The agency will contact over 12,000 producers across the region to determine crop acreage and stock levels as of June 1, 2018.