Stories in this list received the most page views on postindependent from July 21-28.

1. Colorado Highway 13 reopened north of Rifle 

Update: As of 11:45 a.m., Northbound Colorado Highway 13 is open at mile marker 8 north of Rifle due to a fire, according to a notification from the Garfield County Emergency Alert System.

-Staff report 

2. Trump administration releases millions in frozen funding for Colorado after-school programs, but districts still face a $60 million gap 

The U.S. Department of Education released nearly $1.3 billion in frozen federal funds for before- and after-school programs to schools and organizations across the country on Monday — though over $5.5 billion still remains frozen.

On June 30, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would be withholding roughly $6.8 billion in grant funding from K-12 school districts, which would strip resources from before-and after-school programs, English-learning programs and aid to improve the attainment and graduation rates of immigrant children. For schools in Colorado, that translates to approximately $80 million that were already budgeted.

The Office of Management of Budget confirmed Friday that the part of the frozen funding impacting before- and after-school programs — which had already been approved by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump in the spring — would be distributed to the districts and organizations that have been expecting it since July 1.

-Andrea Teres-Martinez 

3. Turning scraps into charm: Rifle retiree creates whimsical, functional art from forgotten objects

Art doesn’t always have to sit still and look pretty. For Rifle resident Dan’O McCue, creativity means movement, utility and a second life for forgotten objects.

McCue specializes in functional art—lamps made from vases and pipes, windmills assembled from spoons and cookware, and coat racks fashioned from golf clubs. His work blends practicality with whimsy, offering buyers something they can use and enjoy.

“I started doing this when I retired around four years ago,” McCue said. “I needed something to do, to keep busy, so I do this.”

-Katherine Tomanek 

4. Where Colorado’s collared gray wolves were in July

As Colorado’s gray wolf population increases with four new groups of pups, the reintroduced animals continue to stick to familiar watersheds across the Western Slope. 

In the latest map from Colorado Parks and Wildlife — which shows activity between June 24 and July 22 —  the wolves were active in watersheds across many northwest counties, including Eagle, Pitkin, Garfield, Routt, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Summit and Grand counties.

There is a pocket highlighted on the map which includes several southwest watersheds in La Plata, Hinsdale, Mineral and San Juan counties as well as activity in Lake, Chaffee and Park counties in the central part of the state.  

-Ali Longwell 

5. Interstate 70 reopens in both directions following fire near Silt 

Interstate 70 has reopened in both directions between the Mamm Creek and Silt exits following a fire, according to a Garfield County Emergency Alert System notification.

-Staff report