Delta Health received advance payments totaling just over $650,000 from the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. The rural hospital said in a news release that the state department sent advanced Colorado Healthcare Affordability and Sustainability Enterprise, or CHASE, payments last Friday for April and May 2023. These are monies received each month to help offset the losses experienced on Delta Health’s Medicaid payments, and the hospital isn’t expected to pay them back. Julie Huffman, Delta Health’s Interim CEO and Chief Legal Officer, said that when the state department learned they were “short on cash,” they agreed to advance the hospital the two payments. These payments also help increase the hospital’s days cash-on-hand.
A Cedaredge High School shooting threat on Tuesday was deemed false, reports the Delta County Independent. On the morning of April 4, Cedaredge High School officials received a student report that plans for a school shooting were circulating on Snapchat. According to a message by Principal Randy Brown, the school immediately reached out to Delta County Dispatch. Officers of the Cedaredge Police Department and deputies of the Delta County Sheriff's Office responded to the call. Officers determined that the circulating threat actually originated in 2018 and was also used in Weld County on Tuesday. Cedaredge police, as well as police in Weld County, have therefore determined that Cedaredge High School is not at risk.
Two men are in critical condition after their SUV crashed into a home, reports the Montrose Daily Press. The vehicle fully entered the home’s living room early Wednesday. Police said the driver, age 20, was found pinned inside the Mazda SUV. His passenger, 21, was thrown from the vehicle. Both were unresponsive and flown to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction where they were in critical condition. While the crash was severe, no one in the residence was injured. Police were called out at about 3 a.m. With assistance from the Colorado State Patrol, they preliminarily determined the SUV had been westbound on West Main Street and entered the intersection at Chipeta Road when the driver lost control, smashing into the home. Alcohol is suspected as a factor in the crash.
Federal officials say many parts of the West continue to see “massive” drought improvements. Two weeks ago, nearly 80% of Nevada was experiencing drought conditions. Now, it’s less than 50%, according to the U.S. Drought Portal. Idaho’s drought level dropped from 73% to 29%, and Utah is no longer in extreme drought for the first time in nearly 3 years. New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming have seen little to no recent changes. Drought experts say snowpack levels are over 100% of normal across much of the West, but what that means for water supplies will depend on the rate the snowpack melts. The Mountain West News Bureau’s Kaleb Roedel looked into how that’s reflected in our region.
Some very interesting items now reside within the walls of the Public Safety Complex in Montrose. With the goal of offering a window into present-day public safety, the Montrose Police Department has placed a time capsule within the stone walls of the new multi-million dollar safety complex. Those residing in Montrose in the year 2072 will get the chance to peep into the past. KVNF’s Lisa Young has the details.
A new National Parent Teacher survey taps parents’ mindsets on a range of issues including mental health, violence and safety, and curriculum content. Nearly nine in 10 parents support schools providing resources and services to support their child and other students’ emotional and mental health. A strong majority support schools teaching about race by fifth grade. Eric Galatas has more.
