MONTROSE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT: Montrose County School District sent out a press release addressing a recent Facebook post circulating in the community regarding an alleged bullying incident at Columbine Middle School.
In the press release, the district said they “understand that such posts can raise concerns among families, students, and community members, and 'they' want to provide accurate information about our response.”
KVNF reached out to the district for more information. Mikayla Unruh, PIO, and Matt Smith, Director of Facilities and Security spoke about the district’s process. They were unable to provide detailed information on the incident citing privacy matters for those involved.
LOCAL NEWS: Delta County School District Superintendent Caryn Gibson has announced her plans to retire following the end of the current school year, on June 30, 2026. According to reporting in the Delta County Independent, Gibson told the board that she has loved serving the school district for 40 years, including the last 15 as the district superintendent. She said that, when she took on the role of superintendent, teacher salaries were extremely low, and she pushed for change, which has occurred during her tenure.
Gibson elected to announce her retirement closer to the end of the school year to ensure a smooth transition within the district, giving them time to find the best candidate to lead the district forward. More on this story at deltacountyindependent.com
Montrose County is in search of a new emergency manager. Current manager, Scott Hawkins, has resigned effective December 1st to take another opportunity. Montrose County Commissioner Sue Hansen said the county will hold conversations about how to keep operations moving forward until a new emergency manager can be named. Hawkins had been with the county for six years. More on this story at montrosepress.com
Tanya Applegate, Assistant District Chief of North Fork EMS, has received the Emergency Medical Services Association of Colorado ALS Provider of the Year Award. The annual award recognizes one EMS Paramedic annually for outstanding contributions to the advancement of excellence in emergency care delivery to Colorado citizens. More on this story at highcountryspotlight.com
The town of Ridgway has hired Destination by Design, a North Carolina-based agency for its tourism and marketing services, choosing an outside perspective familiar with rural communities. The decision took place during the Nov. 12 town council meeting. The agency will be paid $60,000 of the town’s lodging tax revenue for its work. The town had previously hired the Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce for the services, but opened up the job for bids this time. The chamber did not apply. More on this story at ouraynews.com
The National Park Service has reopened the Oak Flat and Uplands Trails at the South Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park after more than four months of restoration work. Lightning-sparked wildfires forced the closure of the entire park on July 10. The North Rim reopened on July 30, but the South Rim gained only partial access on Aug. 29 as crews continued to address hazards. Because of damaged facilities, unstable rock and falling trees, some trails and campgrounds remain closed. More on this story at denverpost.com
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH: November is Native American Heritage Month, Eric Galatas has this timely report on a new campaign launched in honor of Native Americans.
