Good morning, Grand Junction.

Local residents celebrated Father’s Day downtown by sharing what makes their dads special—traits like adventure, kindness, and perseverance.

Their remarks show the value of family and the impact a dad can have on his children.

A Special Place, an experimental group living program for adults with criminal and mental health issues, shut down its three Grand Junction homes after less than six months amid neighborhood complaints about its management.

A for-profit provider, Ava Health, will take over the homes — promising better oversight and structured therapy — and will meet with neighbors to discuss its plans.

Two New York men who were struck by lightning on Torreys Peak were rescued by a Colorado National Guard Blackhawk helicopter on Thursday — one remains hospitalized while the other was treated and released — setting a record for Colorado's highest altitude rescue.

Colorado State Patrol is asking for help after troopers found a man dead from a bicyclist incident on Highway 82 near milepost 10 close to Carbondale on June 13 between 9:30 and 11:00 p.m.— the rider was on a red and white bike wearing dark clothes and was reportedly traveling from Carbondale on Highway 133 to Highway 82, while the cause of death remains unknown.

A Weld County judge sentenced a 39-year-old man to 1,016 years in prison for firing a rifle at 25 people gathered at the Rancho el Corazon bar in 2022—he injured two people.

On Saturday morning, more than 25 future soldiers, veterans and local community representatives joined a 5K ruck march that began and ended at the Colorado Army National Guard Readiness Center at 2820 Riverside Parkway to mark the U.S. Army's 250th birthday.

Participants carried flags and sometimes added weight with vests to simulate training—finishing the march with cold water and birthday cake.

Homeland Security took down a sanctuary jurisdictions list that named Colorado counties—from Eagle and Garfield to Pitkin, Rio Grande, Summit and Lake—after sending each a formal notice of violations and a demand to revise policies.

Eagle County passed a resolution to limit detention for immigration status while Garfield County said it is not a sanctuary county.

Mesa County offices will close on Thursday for Juneteenth—except the Coroner's Office, Criminal Justice Services, Sheriff’s emergency services, and the Solid Waste Campus, with Animal Services open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grand Junction offices will also be closed on Thursday while trash and recycling continue on their regular schedule.

A Palisade trustee raised concerns last week over a Supreme Court ruling that could lead to an oil train railway and up to 15 more industrial trains daily, which local officials warn may harm agritourism (with noise and safety issues).

Town leaders plan to draft letters and hold a meeting next month to discuss next steps despite having no authority to regulate railroads.

Summer Solstice Celebration

1-2 a.m. — Wingate Park — Free entry — Celebrate the energizing Light and Love of the Summer Solstice at sunset.