Good morning, Grand Junction.

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern filed a merger application on Dec.

19 that could increase Grand Junction daily train counts modestly—from 6.87 to 8.01 on one route and similar rises on two others—with only a slight tonnage boost on the first line.

The Mule Deer Foundation and BLM renewed a statewide stewardship agreement that will run through 2035 to restore mule deer habitat and reduce wildfire risk on 10,050 acres along the Western Slope.

The pact, with an initial $244,000 investment, will support 17 projects including sagebrush planting + invasive weed control.

Invasive zebra mussels have spread widely this year, with infestations confirmed in the Colorado River — from the Eagle River confluence to the Utah border — and a large population found in a private lake in Eagle County; state Parks and Wildlife and local partners are now shifting focus from eradication to management.