Category Archives: News

Thank you to the Moffat County community for your many donations for the 21^st annual KRAI Holiday Drive.

That’s the Mayor of Craig, Jarrod Ogden, who stopped by Friday to donate some money. Moffat County Commissioner Don Broom also stopped by with his daughters, Allie and Whitney. They had just stopped at Walmart to buy four bikes to donate to Christmas for Kids.

Gifts were also donated for Christmas for Seniors. Open Heart Advocates received donations including a new refrigerator from Miller Appliance. The Interfaith Food Bank received so much food as well. Thank you to everyone who helped support this year’s Holiday Drive.

The City of Craig is discontinuing the mixed paper, cardboard, and co-mingled recycling program until further notice. The city has posted that it is due to the radical increase in costs to process recyclables. They’ll continue to watch the situation to find a way to efficiently participate in recycling. The recycle drop-off location at 1775 Yampa Avenue will close except for the onsite used oil receptacles. The city will continue to accept clean, used oil. Another recycling resource is through Yampa Valley Sustainability Council. Find out more at www.YampaValleyRecycles.org

Smoke was billowing out of the Steamboat Smokehouse building early Sunday morning. Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue was quickly on the scene to assess the situation and find out where the smoke was coming from. Fritz Aurin owns the building.

The owners of the Smokehouse, Kyle Love and his wife Maria Palmer, got a call early in the morning and came straight down.

The Smokehouse building was built in 1897 in Lincoln Ave. The Steamboat Springs Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fire.

Just down the street is Lyon’s Corner Drug & Soda Fountain. The longtime Steamboat business has a new owner. Matt Johnson is a pharmacist. He purchased Lyon’s Drug from Wendy Lyon and Jennifer Campbell. Lyon’s Drug was founded back in 1943. It’s one of only three independent pharmacies in Northwest Colorado. The other is Bonfiglio Drug in Oak Creek and Meeker Drugs in Meeker. Johnson says he plans to keep most everything the same, with the pharmacy, gift store and greeting cards, and of course, the soda fountain.

The Moffat County girls basketball team had a successful weekend of basketball. The Lady Bulldogs swept the White River Electric Cowboy Shootout in Meeker. One of the big games was against Mancos when Moffat County scored 53 points, to only 11 points for their opponents. The Moffat County Boys team traveled to La Jara. They had one win and two losses for the weekend. Wesley Counts was named to the Mountain Top Classic All-Tournament Team. Both Moffat County Varsity teams are headed to another weekend of tournaments coming up. They’re off to Glenwood Springs for the Demon Invitational. Both teams are playing Montrose in the first round of competition.

For the weather, don’t forget to call the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline at 970-824-1918.

The 21^st annual KRAI Holiday Drive continues until 6 o’clock tonight. On Thursday, many Moffat County residents and businesses brought down donations, food for the Interfaith Food Bank, and unwrapped presents for Christmas for Kids and Christmas for Seniors. Vicki Burns is with the Craig Association of Realtors. Their group brought checks for each organization.

Bring your donations by the Centennial Mall anytime before 6 p.m. today, to help support those in need in the Moffat County community.

Another big donation is from the Walmart in Craig. The Walmart Foundation donated $5,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Craig. Craig store manager Traci Salvucci says a lot of the children of associates go to the local Boys & Girls Club, as do kids in the community, which is why she wanted to donate.

Thursday was snowy and sloppy, with slushy ice on the roads. Local law enforcement reported to the Craig Press that there weren’t any weather-related calls because of the bad weather. Another storm is headed to Craig, probably Sunday. There won’t be as much snow, but it could be colder.

More than $14,000 dollars has been awarded to improve trails in Routt and Moffat Counties. The grants were awarded by the Trail Maintenance Endowment Fund with the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. The money is a way to support non-motorized trail maintenance projects on public lands in Routt and Moffat Counties. The grant funding in Moffat County will be used toward replacing a bridge on the Kiwanis Trail in Loudy-Simpson Park.  Sometimes the trail floods. The bridge will help with that. To make a donation to the Trail Maintenance Endowment Fund, go to: https://yvcf.org/trails/

The Kum & Go in Hayden is closing its doors at 11 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. The Kum & Go will be re-opening in its new location at 6 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19. The gas pumps during this time will be pay-at-the-pump only. The new building is on the same block, and even keeping the same address of 230 W. Jefferson in Hayden. The new building is much bigger, at over 5,000 square feet.

Eleven Moffat County High School students are headed to state to compete in DECA, which is the Distributive Education Clubs of America. The competition is in Colorado Springs in February.

The American Red Cross recognized two Routt County men, Brian Boos and Darren Ebaugh, and members of the Oak Creek Fire Protection District, for saving the life of a Craig resident who went into cardiac arrest in July.
Courtesy Photo

Two Routt County residents received awards from the American Red Cross this week, at a ceremony in Oak Creek. Brian Boos and Darren Ebaugh were recognized for saving the life of Shawn Kainz of Craig last summer. Kainz went into cardiac arrest while the three men were working on a house near Stagecoach Reservoir in July. Members of the Oak Creek Fire Protection District were also recognized.

The Moffat County High School wrestling team is on the road tomorrow, competing in Grand Junction at the Colorado Mesa University Maverick Duals. The JV team is at a tournament in Olathe.

In basketball, the White River Electric Cowboy Shootout is in Meeker today and tomorrow, for the girls high school teams. The Moffat County boys varsity team is in La Jara and the JV boys are in Grand Junction for tournaments.

Tomorrow is the Elks National Hoop Shoot Free Throw Contest for boys and girls, ages 8 to 13. It’s at Sandrock Elementary. For more information, call 970-824-6131. Or visit https://www.elks.org/hoopshoot/

For the weather, don’t forget to call the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline at 970-824-1918.

Tyler James Counts mug shot

A Craig man has been arrested on felony assault charges. 25-year-old Tyler James Counts was charged with a felony after police say he kicked and punched an aging family member so badly that they had to be hospitalized. The Craig Press reports that the Moffat County Sheriff’s office started investigating the alleged assault after an anonymous tip. Counts was booked into the Moffat County Jail.

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Craig City Council has chosen their new council member. Craig native Ryan Hess will fill the vacant seat. The vote was unanimous. At least eight people applied for the council seat. Council thanked all of those who applied. The official swearing in for Councilman Hess will be next Tuesday during council’s regular meeting.

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Another rollover happened Monday morning in the same spot as a rollover the morning before. It happened near Loudy-Simpson Park, early in the morning when temperatures were well below freezing. No one was hurt. Law enforcement wants to remind drivers to be carefully when roads are icy in the winter.

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Stephanie Michelle Hughes mug shot

A woman from Craig was arrested last week, posted bond, and was released. 50-year-old Stephanie Michelle Hughes was arrested on felony charges of identity theft, also attempted theft between $2,000 and $5000, and a misdemeanor charge of theft between $300 and $500. Craig Police got a call from someone in Florida, according to an arrest affidavit. That person reported that someone named Stephanie Hughes opened a Discover card on her account and used it to buy Sephora gift cards at a Craig grocery store. Craig Police did some investigating, spoke to the grocery store, and to Hughes, who, according to the Craig Press, eventually admitted to using the card.

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Walmart is suing Moffat County and Routt County and 30 other Colorado counties for overvaluing its personal property tax for local stores. The retailer hopes to decrease their tax bills and potentially set a legal precedent.

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Craig Fire/Rescue was called to a fire at the Frontier Apartments last night. The Craig Press reports that firefighters were working on the second floor, breaking windows and trying to put the fire out. No one was hurt and first responders say the fire was an accident caused by unattended cooking.

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Two people have been charged with one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty after they posted a video of a horse being pulled behind a truck. It happened in Grand County. 33-year-old Amber Rose Saldate and 52-year-old John Saldate face the charges. The horse was examined and taken to a safe place. The Saldates spoke to one of the Denver TV stations and expressed remorse for the actions. Amber Saldate also said she lost her job.

• More from SkiHiNews: https://www.skyhinews.com/news/shocking-video-sparks-animal-abuse-investigation-in-grand-county-video-contains-obscene-language-and-disturbing-images/
• From KRDO TV: https://krdo.com/news/2019/11/25/grand-county-sheriff-investigating-horse-abuse-allegation/

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A video out of Grand County shows a horse being dragged by a truck. A woman posted the video on Sunday of a horse being tied to a truck hitch by its bridle and pulled across the property while the horse actively resists. That post quickly went viral. Animal rights activists jumped on it. Grand County Sheriffs got involved and are investigating. They also took the horse to the Colorado Humane Society. A veterinarian evaluated the horse and said it didn’t show any signs of trauma.

• More from SkiHiNews: https://www.skyhinews.com/news/shocking-video-sparks-animal-abuse-investigation-in-grand-county-video-contains-obscene-language-and-disturbing-images/
• From KRDO TV: https://krdo.com/news/2019/11/25/grand-county-sheriff-investigating-horse-abuse-allegation/

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The new bus service from Craig to Steamboat started Sunday. Steamboat Springs Transit leaves Craig three times each morning now, at 5:15, 6:15, and 8:15, with stops in Hayden, Milner, and Steamboat II. Then three buses return to Craig each day, at 3:35, 5:35, and 7:35 in the evening. There is also now a bus from Steamboat to Craig each morning, leaving from the Gondola Transit Center at 7 a.m. and then leaving Craig at 3:35 each afternoon. The Regional bus service is a collaboration between the City of Steamboat Springs, Routt County, and the City of Craig.

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Local health officials are watching out for the norovirus, to make sure it doesn’t get kids sick at Moffat County schools. Right now, the stomach bug has resulted in the closing of 46 schools in the Mesa County Valley District, which includes Grand Junction. Keep washing your hands and don’t go to work or school if you think you have any symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach cramps.

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