Montrose County offers free drive-through flu shots Oct. 7
Montrose County holds its annual free flu shot clinic Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Montrose County Event Center and Olathe Community Park, and from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Basin Clinic in Naturita. At the Event Center, people can stay in their vehicles or walk up. "You're going to get your flu shot right outside your car door," Montrose County Public Health Director Jackie Davis told KVNF. Shots are free, with no appointment needed, while supplies last. The clinic offers flu shots only; Davis recommends asking a doctor or pharmacist about RSV and COVID vaccines.
Ouray County and Ridgway Fire face a shortfall in their ambulance merger
Ouray County's plan to hand its ambulance service to Ridgway Fire is no longer cost-neutral. On Oct. 6, commissioners heard that about $155,000 for EMS staffing had been left in the wrong budget line. County finance staff now project EMS will need about $311,000 from the general fund in 2027. "I came away at our meeting last week with the understanding that they weren't going to need money from the general fund and that they were cost neutral. And neither one of those is true," said Commission Chair Jake Niece. Ridgway Fire Chief Chris Miller said the department has cut about $240,000 from its own budget and is still about $165,000 short. The two boards plan to meet Oct. 14. KVNF has been following Ouray County's budget gap.
Delta school board amends sale of Paonia's old Energy Tech building
The Delta County School Board voted 5-0 on Oct. 5 to amend its sale of the former Paonia Energy Tech building to the Carl E. Berg Education Foundation. An inspection found bubbles in the roof's coating; under the amendment, about $37,000 comes off the purchase price and the buyer handles the repairs. "This to me is a better deal for us because then we don't have to, something goes wrong, we don't have to come back and look at it again," Kurt Clay told the board. The sale is set to close Oct. 21. The board also asked for draft policies to guide any future school consolidations.
Crystal Reservoir bill clears the Senate; one more vote needed in the House or Senate
The U.S. Senate passed the Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act on Sept. 30. It would transfer the mostly empty reservoir near Ironton, on the north side of Red Mountain Pass, from the Forest Service to the city of Ouray at no cost. The House passed its own version, Rep. Jeff Hurd's H.R. 5911, on June 2, so one chamber still has to pass the other's bill before this Congress ends in January. The Ouray County Plaindealer reports the city would take on the cost of keeping up the dam.
Colorado-grown lunches and farm tours mark Farm to School month
October is Colorado Proud Farm to School Meal Month, and the Colorado Department of Agriculture says more than 800 schools have signed up. Schools mark the month with Colorado-grown lunches, farm tours and chances for students to meet local farmers and ranchers. "We want young Coloradans to discover how and where their food is grown," said Colorado Proud program manager Danielle Trotta.
What voters need to know about Colorado's ballot measures, part 1
Colorado voters will decide 14 statewide ballot measures this November. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, KOTO's Julia Caulfield talked with Bente Birkeland of the Colorado Capitol News Alliance about all of them. Part 1 covers Amendment 81, on reporting to federal immigration authorities, and Propositions 132 and 133, on penalties for fentanyl crimes and for trafficking minors. Listen to the full four-part conversation.
