Town of Paonia

Thursday’s special meeting of the Paonia Board of Trustees paved the way for a formal hearing on August 13th that could result in the ouster of Trustee Bill Brunner.

The town of Paonia welcomed newly elected Mayor Paige Smith who replaced outgoing Mayor Mary Bachran during the April 23 Paonia Board of Trustees meeting, reports the Delta County Independent. Kathy Swartz was sworn in for a full term after finishing former Trustee Thomas Markle's term. William Brunner and Walter Czeck were sworn in, replacing Morgan MacInnis and Dave Knutson.

Colorado House Bill 24-1066, introduced earlier this legislative session, addresses many issues related to an increase in assaults against healthcare workers across the state. Rural hospitals like Delta Health are finding ways to address the alarming issue now.

At last, the only town in the most remote county in the lower 48 states is getting high-speed fiber internet. Work is underway to connect the tiny town of Lake City in southwestern Colorado. For KVNF, Laura Palmisano reports on the local, regional, and state partnership that made it happen.

On this edition of Local Motion host Lisa Young interviews special guests are Paul Kimpling and Kristen O'Brien, volunteers with The Learning Council in Paonia, on the building of a 40 foot long rainbow trout puppet named "Bubbles."

Following a decision last November by the town of Paonia to not allow Pride Flags to be displayed on its light poles along Grand Avenue, numerous volunteers from The Learning Council stepped up with the Color the Town With Us Campaign.

The Town of Paonia will close its search for a new town administrator next Monday, reports the Delta County Independent. Olathe High School heavyweight wrestler Lynessia Duran was the second-highest placer among all Western Slope teams, reports the Montrose Daily Press. Tuesday was the last day for the public to submit comments on Colorado's plan to reintroduce wolves. Many ranchers and others in rural areas say they fear for their jobs, livestock, and even personal safety.

Some of the best snow in the nation is right in our backyard according to Spencer Christensen owner of Grand Mesa Lodge. Christensen says the snow began in November and just keeps coming. Mesa County officials forced two private property owners to clear what they call “unsightly debris and trash” from their land, according to the Daily Sentinel. Paonia trustees debated adding two more paid holidays to the town’s handbook without added expense, reported Frank Witowski for the Delta County Independent. Delta Health unveiled the Western Slope’s first digitally combined PET and CT scanner earlier this month, according to the Montrose Daily Press.

Residents within the town of Paonia will see an increase in water, trash and sewer rates in the new year, reports the Delta County Independent. Water base rates are increasing across the board at $3 per month. The State of Colorado has hired a director for its new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office. Colorado wildlife managers are looking to reverse a decline of elk in the southwestern quarter of the state, reports the Denver Post. It’s been some 80 years since thousands of Japanese Americans were sent to live in internment camps in our region. Now the National Park Service is developing plans to restore one of those sites, in southeast Colorado.

The Delta County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management, and Delta County 911 Dispatch, are launching a new emergency and community alert system for Delta County. The Paonia Town Planning Commission met last week with Beecher Development to discuss potential plans for the Paonia Energy Tech Building. Those visiting public lands have become increasingly familiar with the website recreation.gov. Some are claiming the company managing that site is pulling a Ticketmaster with public lands access.