LISTEN TO LOCAL NEWS
CRAIG POLICE RELEASE IDENTITY OF FALL VICTIM
Craig police have released the name of the man found dead at the bottom of the Sandrocks Saturday morning. Police received a call from a concerned citizen at around 8:30 Saturday morning. They found 53-year old David Burns at the bottom of the rocks. Police say they may never know the circumstances surrounding the death, but one thing was clear. There was no indication of foul play.
PASSENGERS SURVIVE PLANE CRASH IN STEAMBOAT
Three men survived a plane crash in Steamboat Saturday afternoon. Authorities say the plane was attempting to land at the Steamboat Springs Airport at around noon, when the plane flipped over onto its roof. It’s not clear what may have caused the accident, but investigators have not ruled out the wind. The three men on board the single engine plane suffered only minor injuries. The crash shut the airport down for nearly three hours.
YAMPA WARNS RESIDENTS OF HIGH CHLORINE CONTENT IN DRINKING WATER
The Town of Yampa is warning residents of a high chlorine content in the town’s drinking water. Residents are being asked not to drink the water until the chlorine content has returned to acceptable levels. The town’s water storage tank is being drained and refilled. Once it’s filled, it will be flushed until the levels of chlorine are acceptable. If you need to know more you can call Yampa Town Hall.
BLM DIRECTOR BOB ABBEY TO RETIRE
The National Director of the Bureau of Land Management is retiring. Director Bob Abbey announced last week, he’ll quit at the end of this month to be closer to his family in Mississippi. Abbey was appointed by Obama and served as director for 3 years. Abbey was largely responsible for the oil and gas reforms now in place. Some say those reforms are better for the environment, while others say they have crippled the U.S.’s ability to become self dependent on energy. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar released a statement praising Abbey for his work with the BLM. Deputy Director Mike Pool will take over as Acting Director June 1st.
CARSON AND BARNES CIRCUS TO PERFORM IN MEEKER, CRAIG, AND STEAMBOAT
The Carson and Barnes Circus is in Northwest Colorado this week. The circus is in Meeker today with performances scheduled for 4:30 and 7:30. There will also be shows in Craig tomorrow and in Steamboat Wednesday, with the same start times. You can get tickets online or at the gate. Tickets are $14 for adults and $6 for kids. There’s more information at krai.com.
CRAIG MUSEUM OPENS NORMAN ROCKWELL EXHIBIT
The Museum of Northwest Colorado in Craig opens their Norman Rockwell Exhibit today. The exhibit features Saturday Evening Post Covers illustrated by Rockwell. It was Rockwell’s dream to have his artwork published on the Post’s covers, long before his fist piece was used. His career as the Post’s illustrator spanned 47 years. The exhibit will be in Craig until September 28th. The exhibit is free. The Museum of Northwest Colorado in Craig is open from 9 to 5 Monday through Friday, and 10 to 4 on Saturdays.
AUTHORITIES WARN FOREST VISITORS ABOUT LOGGING OPERATION
Those who live in the Centennial area of the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming are advised to be alert for heavy machinery being hauled through the area, as well as heavy traffic. A logging contractor will be knocking down and removing beetle killed and dying trees along Forest System Road 351, also known as Barber Lake Road. The forest service is trying to reduce the amount of dead trees in the forest to prevent massive wildfires, and to stem the spread of the bark beetle. Forest Service officials say make sure you obey all signs and stay clear of loggers at work.
PARKS AND WILDLIFE SET BIG GAME HUNTING LICENSES
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission set big game license numbers last week. This year the state will issue more than a combined 240,000 limited licenses for the elk, antelope, and deer seasons alone. Nearly 140,000 of those will be for Elk, nearly 80,000 for deer, and close to 29,000 for antelope. Statewide, the deer licenses numbers declined by almost 6% from last year. New estimates show there are more black bear in the state than previously thought, so there will be more bear licenses issued than in the past. The state also plans to issue an unlimited number of over-the-counter bull elk licenses for the archery, and 2nd and third rifle seasons. You can get more hunting information from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website.
RIO BLANCO PIONEERS PREPARE FOR REUNION
The Rio Blanco County Pioneers Association will hold their Old Timer’s Reunion next month. The Dinner and Dance is a long time tradition in Meeker. In fact this is their 100th anniversary. The public is welcome, but reservations need to be made by Friday. The event itself will be held June 2nd at the Fairfield Community Center in Meeker.
HICKENLOOPER SIGNS HOSPITAL PAYMENT BILL
Colorado Governor, John Hickenlooper, has signed Senate Bill 12-134 into law, establishing the Hospital Payment Assistance Program. Supporters say the bill gives uninsured patients the opportunity to understand and responsibly pay their hospital bills, without the fear of being sent to collections or going into bankruptcy. They say the hope is that the bill will reduce the burden of hospital debt for low income individuals and families. Uninsured patients, who do not have the bargaining power of large insurance companies or public programs, are charged much higher prices for hospital care than those with insurance. Public programs and private insurers negotiate lower prices with hospitals. Uninsured patients are the only group that pays the full listed prices for hospital care. These higher prices are a significant hardship for working families that already struggle to afford medical care, forcing many patients to go into debt, or even declare bankruptcy.
In high school sports:
Over the weekend:
In track:
The Moffat County boys took 2nd at the Western Slope League Invitational in Grand Junction. The girls took 6th.
In girls tennis:
Steamboat was unable to win any medals at the State Tournament in Pueblo.
In baseball:
Rangely fell to Resurrection Christian in the first round of the playoffs.
