Thanks for tuning in to Rio Blanco County news. Here are highlights from the July 30 edition of the Herald Times.
HT intern Sophia Goedert takes a look at how the coronavirus pandemic has affected area ranchers, from packing plant bottlenecks to nonexistent markets. This week’s feature story and photos on page 1A.
Rio Blanco County public health nurse Kelly Christian of Rangely has resigned after accepting a position at Rangely District Hospital. A goodbye potluck was held July 22. According to RBC’s help wanted listing in the classifieds, applicants for Christian’s position are still being sought.
Oil and gas fallout is going to hit Rio Blanco County where it hurts this season. Preliminary numbers indicate an 11.5% drop in revenue due to impacts on assessed valuations. This translates to about $900,000, or 5% of operating expenses, according to Finance Director Janae Stanworth.
The reduction in property tax revenue will also extend to every special district with a mill levy.
Additionally, the county expects to lose about $1 million in severance tax and mineral lease dollars this year, and even more in 2021.
According to RBC Assessor Renae Nielsen, about 80% of the county’s total assessed value is tied to oil and gas.
In pandemic related news, Public Health is working on the application for the county to move into the third phase of the coronavirus response titled “Protect Your Neighbor.” Case counts remain at 6, with all patients recovered.
The HT hosted a fourth coronavirus q&a live last Thursday.
Here’s an excerpt.
“The whole point of closures, the whole reason any society chooses to close down or shut down, this is around the world, it’s all about hospital capacity. If you think of it in terms of that, anything we can do, even if a lot of people are going to be asymptomatic, so we’re not going to be able to use just hey stay home if you’re sick as a strategy but if we can wear a mask and we can have broader mask usage if we do that we can really reduce the risk or reduce the amount the virus is spreading in our communities therefore reducing the number of people potentially who are going to catch it who are gonna get sick and end up in our hospitals. That’s when we’re going to see statewide closures again is when we reach that ICU bed capacity.
If you start thinking about it like that, wearing a mask is one of the best ways we can stay open.
Watch the full video on our Facebook page or YouTube channel, or listen here on the podcast.
HopeWest had to cancel their gala fundraiser this year, but there are still plenty of ways to donate to the hospice program. Perhaps the tastiest way is to swing by HopeWest’s farmer’s market booth Friday, July 31, for Christine Halandras’s famous baklava sundae. All proceeds benefit HopeWest. For more ways to donate, read the story on page 5A.
This week’s Sound of Meeker: the siren. Read the full story on page 6A.
Rangely and Meeker football teams held scrimmages in preparation for the regular season. Practice for both teams begins Aug. 10. More sports on Page 1B.
Informed citizens are the best citizens. Read your public notices, which start on Page 4B this week.
From the Rangely Times, 50 years ago:
A true diplomat is a man who can tell you to go to hell so tactfully that you’ll actually look forward to making the trip.
Find more in this week’s edition, in print and online at ht1885.com.
Thank you for supporting community journalism.
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Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1 - I. Allegro by Daniel Veesey is licensed under a Public Domain License.
Cover photo by Sophia Goedert.
