FEATURE: Members of the Delta County School Board will review a draft policy on a bill passed in 2024 that allows students to use a preferred name that reflects their gender identity. The district's policy committee has recommended allowing teachers certain “religious exemptions” to the law. For KVNF Matt Horn spoke with Flynn Rodriquez, a trans student who graduated from North Fork High School. Flynn says "religious exemptions" should not override the student's personal autonomy. The Delta County School Board will review the controversial ‘gender’ name policy on January 30th during its regularly scheduled meeting.
LOCAL NEWS: Montrose County Sheriff Gene Lillard is considering a ballot measure in an attempt to clarify the voter-approved 2007 public safety sales tax fund, reports the Montrose Daily Press. The Sheriff has assembled a committee of four citizens, a sheriff’s commander and himself to clarify language for the original ballot measure. Lillard said the goal is not to undo the public safety sales tax but to ensure that his department has more control over the funds. At the core is whether the tax money can be used to supplement the county’s portion of the sheriff’s budget or whether it is meant to be in addition to the county’s budget for the department. A more detailed explanation can be found at montrosepress.com
The town of Crawford prepares to take on two big water infrastructure projects, reports Marty Durlin in the High Country Shopper. Councilors approved a resolution for a WaterSMART Drought Resiliency grant for $537,000 from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The grant will fund the rehabilitation of the Wiley Springs raw water collection system, the source of Crawford’s drinking water. And this spring, the town will begin the installation of a storage tank with partial funding provided through a DOLA (Department of Local Affairs) Energy Grant.
BRODY WILSON REPORTS: A major land management project is kicking off in the Paonia Ranger District with wildfire mitigation and wildlife support at its core. The Project 7 Water authority treats water for 60,000 people between Ridgway and Delta. They are planning to build a new treatment plant just south of Colona that uses a water source other than the Gunnison Tunnel, but the plans for the plant are receiving criticism from some of the water authority's member entities.
