Thanks for listening to Rio Blanco County news. Here are top stories from the June 11 edition.
Wild weather blew through the county last weekend. A dir-RAY-cho is a long-lasting line of severe thunderstorms that produces wind gusts up to 100 miles per hour. The phenomenon almost never happens in the Western United States. In fact, it’s only been recorded twice, according to the National Weather Service.
This storm was 750 miles long and was described as “exceedingly rare” because it crossed over the Continental Divide, which typically tears these systems apart. It downed trees and displaced gravestones at Highland Cemetery, knocked over power poles, took out internet towers near Rangely and upriver, and started a brush fire southeast of Meeker
In our unscientific opinion, 2020 needs a chill pill.
Also this weekend, the MHS Class of 2020 stepped into adulthood in a drive-in style ceremony at Ute Park.
Thankfully, the wind gusts had died down by the time the graduates toss their caps. Congratulations to the class of 2020! Check out the photos and the graduation keepsake edition in this week’s paper.
Summer events are gearing up with restrictions in place after the county received their second variance request. The Meeker Summer Rodeo Series got underway this week, and Rangely’s annual Surf and Turf dinner and fireworks are planned for the Fourth of July.
RBC Public Health Director Alice Harvey has recommendations for staying safe this summer.
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But, what about those hot, and hotly contested, masks? Here’s what Alice had to say.
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Hooray for science.
More from our latest coronavirus q&A on page 1A.
Rangely District Hospital suffered a ransomware attack in April. Ransomware is a type of computer virus that encrypts files and then demands a ransom payment be made to unlock or decrypt them. RDH did not pay any ransom and has recovered many files from backups and other sources. You will receive a notice if your records were compromised. More on Page 2A.
Primary ballots were mailed Tuesday. If you’re an unaffiliated or independent voter, you’ll get both a Republican and Democratic ballot, but you can only fill out and return one, or both votes will be invalidated. Ballots are due back by June 30.
Find excerpts from our interviews with RBC Commissioner Candidates Ty Gates and Mona Avey on Page 3B, and watch full videos on YouTube and Facebook, or listen to the episodes here on Rio Blanco County News.
June is PTSD awareness month. While it can and does affect the general population, veterans are at a higher risk of experiencing PTSD. Basic symptoms include reliving the event, avoiding situations that are reminders of the event, negative changes in beliefs or feelings, and feeling keyed up and on edge.
If you or someone you love needs help managing PTSD symptoms, call 1-800-273-TALK.
There’s our highlights for the week of June 11, 2020. Check out the rest of the stories, letters, classifieds, public notices and of course messages from the advertisers who support community journalism.
Thanks for listening!
Music in this episode:
There's a Party in the Factory! (instrumental) by Freddy & the Indifferents is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Netherlands License.
Patriotic songs of America by New York Military Band and the American Quartet is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.
