Delta County

• 1 year after Colorado's Red Flag law took effect, at least 112 petitions filed for extreme risk protection orders
• Freedom of Information Coalition & other journalism groups ask Colorado Judicial Branch to continue free remote access to civil court records post-pandemic
• Delta County Administrator Robbie LeValley responds to concerns about accessibility of zoning maps during creation of Land Use code approved last week
• Mountain West News Bureau's Robyn Vincent reports millions of people are experiencing food insecurity in our region

• BLM approved 226 gas wells to be drilled 15 miles NE of Paonia, so SG Interests & Gunnison Energy will proceed with their Bull Mountain Master Energy Plan
• Delta County Commissioners approved a new Land Use code on Tuesday, but citizen journalist JoAnn Kalenek says the maps were never completely and accurately published for review
• KSJD's Daniel Rayzel reports dark skies advocates say mitigation for light pollution is too often ignored in SE Utah 

• District 51 announces USDA will extend free school meals through end of school year
• Delta County Housing Authority will rehab 3 single-family rental properties with DOLA money
• Blue Valley Ranch in Kremmling wants to release phosphorus into Blue River to promote river trout
• Hanging Lake set to reopen in May
• KDNK's Kathleen Shannon explores how Basalt put Ranked Choice Voting to the test in 2020

• New Delta County Human Services Building flooded badly on Christmas Eve
• COVID deaths in Delta County double during December, 2 more die over holiday weekend
• New study suggests working out at a gym not linked to viral COVID transmission
• State health departments encouraging people with COVID to do their own contact tracing
• Scott Franz interviews Governor Jared Polis about his coronavirus response

• Post-Thanksgiving COVID spike not as severe in Mesa County as expected
• Grand Valley Transit workers vote no confidence in their GM
• Hotchkiss trustees approve $1.2M budget for 2021, new headgate at Carl Smith Reservoir
• Senator Michael Bennet introduced one last bill, the Outdoor Restoration Force Act
• Eric Galatas reports this Sunday is deadline for food banks to apply for new state grants
• Jodi Peterson checks in with Natasha Legere for reaction to new COGCC oil & gas rules

• Mesa, Delta, Montrose, San Miguel Counties will begin vaccinating frontline health workers next week
• Connect for Health Colorado extends insurance sign-up deadline to Friday
• Audit finds red flags at Colorado State Judiciary Administration
• KBUT: Avalanche forecasters concerned about stability of this season's snowpack
• Avalanche education courses see record enrollment numbers
• Jodi Peterson gets oil & gas industry reaction to new COGCC rules

• Delta County Commissioners approve $36M budget for 2021
• Public comments on Delta County Land Use plan due before Monday's meeting
• Montrose Hospital changes management companies
• Colorado unveils plan for distributing COVID vaccines
• Advocates fielding growing number of calls from potential DACA applicants
• Jodi Peterson hears from Center for Mental Health on when alcohol & substance use becomes abuse

• Current COVID statistics across our listening area include 89 deaths
• Governor Polis signed 8 special session bills on Monday
• Who is dying in jails around our region and why?
• Chad Reich reports on roadless rule battle at West Elk Mine in Gunnison National Forest

• Delta County reported 53 new COVID cases Friday
• Montrose Schools announce another 177 students, 7 staff in quarantine due to 6 new positives
• Grand Junction finally solve cold case from 1975
• Bilingual contact tracers in particularly short supply
• Tribal councils in our region have made progress on gender parity, but women still underrepresented

• Mesa County program allowing some businesses to avoid COVID restrictions may become model
• Attorney General Phil Weiser releases report naming 9 more sexually abusive Catholic priests
• Dr Anthony Fauci joins Governor Jared Polis for virtual COVID update
• Kori Stanton speaks with Paonia Clayworks co-founder Karen Good about how they're facing pandemic
• Jodi Peterson speaks with Delta County Health Department Medical Director Dr Susan Bright about rising case numbers

• Delta County moves to High Risk level orange on COVID dial
• Governor Jared Polis tests positive for COVID, asymptomatic, working remotely
• New state task force hopes to help schools return to in-person learning safely
• Lawmakers return to Capitol for special session on coronavirus relief spending
• Update on historical monuments removed this year
• Senator Michael Bennet hears input on Future of Local News Commission Act from news leaders

• Delta County moves to Yellow on COVID dial, Montrose County moves to Orange
• Republican Chris Holbert: death of ex-legislator 'a wake-up call'
• State epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy warns: Avoid Thanksgiving travel 
• Center for Mental Health launches mobile crisis program
• Hotchkiss Chamber names annual award winners
• Unemployment numbers down, federal funds ending
• Jessica Beller, director of curriculum & instruction for MCSD, talks about supporting remote learners, explains new grant

• Delta County Health Department announced 4 new COVID deaths on Tuesday
• MCSD reports new quarantines at Olathe Middle High School & Early Childhood Center
• State adds new level to COVID restriction dial to help counties avoid stay at home orders
• Polis to name new State Supreme Court Justice
• Paonia Town Hall reducing open office hours
• Robyn Vincent reports on landmark fracking research in Pavillion, Wyoming

• Mesa County, Montrose County, Delta County, Ouray County face COVID spikes
• Governor Polis presented his billion dollar stimulus proposal to state budget planners Thursday
• Colorado State Patrol seeks feedback in a new survey
• Senator Jon Tester, the only Montana Democrat left in statewide office next year, talks with reporter Nate Hegyi about how progressives can win rural elections

• Governor Polis urges Coloradans not to become complacent as COVID hospitalizations rise
• Mesa County moving to Level Orange, Delta County positivity level on the brink of Level 2
• Democrats choose House & Senate leadership for 2021 legislative session
• Montrose County School District public information officer Matt Jenkins tells KVNF's Gavin Dahl how the district's cohort model is keeping schools open despite more than a dozen quarantine events so far

• Hickenlooper, Boebert headed to Congress
• Soper, Rich, Catlin, McLachlan, McCluskie win Legislative races
• Delta County elects Koontz, approves Back the Badge
• Cedaredge & Paonia voters want retail marijuana
• Ouray County elects Padgett, Niece
• Colorado River District measure passes
• Orange apple not extinct as Mark Duggan reports for KSUT

• 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