Delta County

• San Miguel Power won't increase rates for 2021
• Montrose City Council approves Russell Stover land purchase
• Governor activates National Guard to help fight East Troublesome Fire
• COVID-19 impacting sugar beet harvest
• Jodi Peterson interviews Independent Delta County Commissioner candidate Jere Lowe

• Grant-funded Uncompahgre River improvement project starts next week
• Police dog Oxx died this week after 9 years serving in law enforcement
• Joe Lewandowski of Colorado Parks & Wildlife explains why fire restrictions are in place
• Beau Baker reports on voter intimidation and violence in the Mountain West
• Jodi Peterson interviews Republican Delta County Commissioner candidate Wendell Koontz

• When asked about campaign finance complaint filed against Back the Badge campaign, Delta County Sheriff Mark Taylor tells KVNF's Jodi Peterson that he made a mistake 
• Part two of KVNF's interview with Democratic congressional candidate Diane Mitsch Bush

• Delta County Planning Commission certifies draft land use code, removes Right to Farm expansion
• 2020 U.S. Census counting has officially ended
• Voters returned over 400,000 ballots by Thursday in Colorado, 25 times as many as in 2016
• Part two of KVNF's interview with Republican congressional candidate Lauren Boebert

• Mesa County tightening restrictions as COVID numbers increase 
• Delta Police plans to build new facility
• Delta County approves 2021 Strategic Plan
• Governor Polis alarmed by increase in new COVID cases
• Low income families at greater risk of power cutoffs as winter nears
• Colorado West Land Trust conservation director Ilana Moir discusses merger

• Montrose School District confirmed COVID case at Johnson Elementary
• Montrose Airport to add Southwest, JetBlue flights this winter
• Delta County turning COVID relief loans into grants
• Number of Colorado kids without health coverage on the rise
• Volunteer wilderness ranger programs helping underfunded Forest Service patrol backcountry

• Governor Jared Polis extends mask mandate for another 30 days
• DMEA receives $2M grant for Elevate Broadband in Cedar Mesa, Beaver Hill
• William Perry Pendley defies judge to stay in job at BLM
• AG Phil Weiser vows to fight EPA rollback of clean car standards
• Scott Franz reports on Proposition 115, which would outlaw abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy

• 2021 individual health insurance premiums in Colorado will decrease an average of 1.4% while group rates will increase an average of 3.8%
• Attorney General Phil Weiser met with local officials in Montrose to discuss election integrity, voter intimidation, misinformation
• KSUT moves into new Tribal Media Center
• Temporary ban on certain visas impacts ski industry hiring
• DCI reporter Lisa Young discusses her coverage of proposed changes to Delta County land use code

• Now 15 human cases of West Nile in Delta County
• Montrose Lighthouse looking for new location to avoid reduced shelter capacity due to COVID
• Arch Resources looking to sell West Elk Mine in North Fork Valley, the largest coal producer in Colorado
• Legal fate of 2020 Census count deadline still uncertain
• Scott Franz explains the most complicated statewide ballot question, Amendment B, which would change the Gallagher amendment in Colorado

• Watchdog group challenges new Delta County ag plan
• Toxic algae spreading in Blue Mesa Reservoir
• COGCC approves new rules for oil & gas 
• Governor warns COVID numbers are still too high
• Climate change causing reduction of aspen trees in Colorado
• What's next for BLM with acting director Pendley ousted by judge?

A unique collaboration between the Center for Mental Health and local law enforcement agencies offers frontline intervention to help diffuse conflicts for those experiencing a mental health crisis. Now the Montrose Police Department has acquired a brand new vehicle for the co-responder through state grant funds which is expected to have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the program. KVNF's Gavin Dahl spoke to Chief Clinical Officer Amanda Jones and Montrose Police commander Matt Smith to learn more.

• Montrose High School now a COVID outbreak site
• Colorado Mesa University stays open with routine testing
• 4 staff of Grand Junction Utilities department test positive
• Thefts from parked cars in Mesa County are up, with 95 guns stolen since January 1st
• Center for Mental Health says a new vehicle will make their partnership with Montrose Police even more effective

KVNF joins the Colorado Farm and Food Alliance for a day of gleaning at Excelsior Orchards in Paonia, Colorado. Reporter Kori Stanton talks with COFFA Community Cultivator Elizabeth Agee and Tony Carraro from Our Farm about the gleaning portion of the 'Plant A Row' project that launched at the beginning of the pandemic.

• Now 10 cases of West Nile in Delta County
• North Fork Emergency Medical sets up permanent base in Crawford
• State allows West Elk Coal Mine to use new road and drill pads
• CU-Boulder study confirms aerosols spread COVID-19
• Poll: Many Coloradans don't want COVID vaccine
• Postal service settles suit by Secretary of State over confusing USPS mailers
• Kori Stanton speaks with Colorado Farm & Food Alliance at gleaning party in Paonia

• A third Delta County resident died from COVID-19, bringing the death toll in Colorado to 1,905
• Governor Polis concerned about uptick in college student cases
• COVID outbreaks in SLC show how kids spread the virus
• Polis will allow 5700 people to attend next Denver Broncos game, shuttered music venues aren't happy
• Dr Joe Adragna updates Jodi Peterson on Montrose COVID testing availability

• Conservation groups sue BLM over Uncompahgre Resource Management Plan
• 4 marijuana ballot items qualify in Delta County
• New documents show Interior Dept wanted to manage bison like cattle
• On Tuesday, Michael Bennet called on William Perry Pendley to resign from BLM in a speech on Senate floor

Passionate hyper-local reporting in the public interest can come at a cost.  For Erin McIntyre, co-publisher of The Ouray County Plaindealer, critical reporting on defiance of county health measures during the pandemic led to retaliation from a local business.

• Delta County has seen 101 positive COVID-19 cases and one death
• State's top epidemiologist says the spread of COVID-19 in Colorado appears to be stablizing
• A Denver judge rejected a lawsuit by restaurant owners filed against Colorado's health department
• Fake news runs rampant and one culprit, Sinclair Broadcast Group, owns TV stations in our region
• Western states are diving into sewers looking for evidence of coronavirus 

In the middle of the pandemic small businesses are having to pivot quickly and discover new ways to offer services and products to their customers. KVNF talks with Chelsea Rosty, Director of Business Innovation & Tourism for the city of Montrose, CO and DART about how local businesses are creatively navigating through COVID.

This edition of Local Motion features Delta County and Montrose County officials, answering questions from listeners about the COVID-19 response.

Included are Robbie LeValley, Delta Count administrator, Karen O'Brien, Delta County Public Health Director, Dr. Susan Bright, and Montrose County media relations manager Katie Yergensen.

Soil health is the hot topic in agriculture as consumers become more aware and concerned with the quality of food that they're eating.