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Serving Rio Blanco County Since 1885 w Vol. 135, No. 50 w July 16, 2020 w ht1885.com w $100 RBC reports 6th confirmed case of coronavirus Four considered recovered By HT STAFF [email protected] Personal RBC I Rio Blanco County responsibility Public Health confirmed the county’s sixth positive case of COVID-19 Monday, July 13. protects Out of the six positives, four public health are considered recovered. The first case was confirmed in April, 1. Beware of and the additional five, all in the misinformation. last month. County health urges citizens 2. Don't share to continue to be vigilant in social misinformation. distancing, hand washing and wearing face coverings in public. 3. Frequently wash KARI BRENNAN COURTESY PHOTO Currently the county is still in your hands with soap Multiple fires were reported Monday and Tuesday after a string of thunderstorms went through. Stage 1 fire restrictions were Phase 2 of the state’s public health enacted on Wednesday and will remain in place. and water for at least orders, the most recent variation 20 seconds. of which is titled Safer at Home and in the Vast, Great Outdoors. 4. Cover your coughs In order to move into the third and sneezes. Type 2 Incident Management Team phase of reopening — Protect Our Neighbors — counties must meet 5. Don't touch your required metrics demonstrating eyes, nose or mouth their ability control the pandemic assumes command of multiple fires in their communities. with unwashed Rio Blanco County meets most hands. of those metrics, and it’s expected 6. Make or buy a By NIKI TURNER The Stewart fire was at 103 everything will be in place by the [email protected] acres 20 miles southwest of end of July to move into Phase 3. cloth face covering, Meeker off Piceance Creek. It’s In Phase 3, according to the order, or wear a bandana or RBC I A Type 2 Rocky also 0% contained and light- “Counties that are certified will scarf over your face Mountain Incident Management ning-caused. For both these be able to devise their own plans in public. Wash it Blue Team assumed command fires, structure protection has within the authorized Protect Our frequently. of the Fawn Creek, Stewart and been a priority. Neighbors framework, which al Wolf fires on July 15 in response The Wolf fire is also south- lows for up to 50% opening of 7. Stay home if you're to a request from the Bureau of west of Meeker. It was reported all sectors and activities not to sick. Land Management for mutual July 14, and by Wednesday had exceed 500 people, maintaining aid and the increased complexity burned 300 acres and was 0% social distancing. Different parts 8. Follow self- and size of the three fires. There contained and lightning-caused. of the state will be at different isolation and were multiple starts, single-tree Ground and air attack by phases of opening, based on local fires and smoke reports on July multiple agencies are being uti- conditions and capabilities.” self-quarantine 13 and 14. lized on all three fires, which Individuals and businesses procedures if you're As of Tuesday evening, are all burning in pinyon and should review the documenta- sick or around the Fawn Creek fire was at juniper. tion at covid19.colorado.gov for someone who is sick. 2,459 acres, 0% contained in Smaller fires have also been industry-specific guidelines. juniper and pinyon. The light- reported in the county. Meeker: 970-878-9520 9. Clean high touch ning-caused fire is 20 miles County roads 68 and 87 are Rangely: 970-878-9525 surfaces. southwest of Meeker off County closed to allow for fire crews Please visit www.rbc.us for Road 29. and safety. more information. 10. Remain calm. KARI BRENNAN COURTESY PHOTO By Wednesday, the Fawn Creek fire was at more than 2,400 acres and the Wolf fire was at 300 acres, with 0% containment. Stage 1 fire restrictions ORTHO OPENING ... now in effect in RBC By HT STAFF three feet in diameter that is bar- [email protected] ren or cleared of all flammable materials. RBC I After multiple wild- n Operating a chainsaw with- land fires ignited early this out a USDA or SAE approved week, Rio Blanco County Sheriff spark arrestor properly installed Anthony Mazzola issued an and working, a chemical fire order Tuesday enacting stage 1 extinguisher of not less than 8 fire restrictions beginning July ounces capacity by weight, and 15 and effective until rescinded one round point shovel with an for Bureau of Land Management- overall length of at least 36 inch- administered lands, unincorporat- es. ed and private lands in the county. n Using a welder, either arc The order follows White River or gas, or operating acetylene National Forest's stage 1 fire ban or other torch with open flame, enacted last week. except in cleared areas of at least In stage 1 fire restrictions, 10 feet in diameter with a chem- the following activities are pro- ical pressurized fire extinguisher hibited: of not less than 8 ounces capacity. n Building, maintaining, n Using exploding targets. attending or using a fire or camp- Exemptions to the ban include fire except within agency-provid- persons with a written permit spe- CAITLIN WALKER PHOTO ed fire grates at developed rec- cifically authorizing the activity, Colorado Advanced Orthopedics officially opened last Wednesday, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and tours reation sites. Devices using gas, persons conducting activities in of the site. The expansion of Pioneers Medical Center adds new clinical space, two operating rooms, three jellied petroleum, or pressurized those designated areas where the recovery rooms and six inpatient hospital rooms, and allows orthopedic patients to be kept separate from liquid fuel are permitted. activity is specifically authorized the rest of the hospital. While the hospital has been offering knee and hip joint replacements and revisions, n Smoking, except in an by written posted notice; and the expansion allows the facility to provide shoulder, hand and upper extremity, spine and sports medicine enclosed vehicle or building, organized rescue or firefighting care. The total capital investment in the new facility is more than $12 million, according to a press release a developed recreation site, or forces in the performance of an from the hospital’s Chief Communications Officer Margie Joy. while stopped in an area at least official duty. READY TO HIT YOUR Saturday: 90s/50s TARGET MARKET? Let hunters know what you have to offer with the 2020 Northwest Colorado Hunting Guide. Reserve your space today! Sunday: 90s/50s Propane Sales for the White River Valley www.wrenergy.com • 233 6th St., Meeker • 878-9876 Email [email protected] or call 970-220-2228. u RIO BLANCO HERALD TIMES 2A NEWS Thursday, July 16, 2020 DROUGHT REPORT ... Commissioners consider term limits for some county officials By NIKI TURNER work session — before address- Todd Starr, the board agreed [email protected] ing a resolution in the regular to move forward with putting meeting — a county hiring the term limit question on the RBC I OHV users will freeze in light of projections ballot for each elected county likely be pleased to hear that of decreased revenue. Some official: commissioners, clerk the Rio Blanco County Board positions, they agreed, have and recorder, assessor, treasur- of Commissioners and the U.S. to be filled because of safety er, surveyor, coroner and sher- Forest Service are considering issues, but giving the board an iff. Commissioner Rector said opening the Buford/New Castle opportunity to weigh in on new he wanted the surveyor and Road to OHV use. hires was something they all coroner excluded. Woodruff The road, which connects agreed on. said each elected office should Buford with New Castle across TERM LIMITS have the opportunity to explain a section of the Flat Tops, is Resident Mike Sizemore, in to the public why their posi- managed by the U.S. Forest public comment, revisited the tion requires specialized train- Service under a travel manage- idea of term limits for elected ing and skills and should be ment plan written in 2011. It’s county officials, a topic he pre- exempt from term limits. currently open to full-size vehi- sented back in 2018. Current Commissioner Gary Moyer cles, motorcycles and snowmo- state statutes do not allow cit- asked if the ballot measure biles, but not OHV or UTV use. izens to petition county-level could be retroactive. The 2011 travel plan indicated questions onto the ballot. “In my opinion, eight years safety concerns on the road. Sizemore pointed out that is enough, and sometimes it’s “Letters of support would some counties have term limits too long,” Sizemore agreed. open a review to see if we on some elected officials, but “There would be some real can mitigate those concerns,” not on others. He specifically legal hurdles,” with applying District Manager Curtis Keetch mentioned the sheriff’s office, term limits retroactively, Starr said. which “has a lot of power” in said. “If it was approved in The travel plan was put in counties. the November 2021 election, place before Rio Blanco County Only about a quarter of those commissioners [officials] opened roads to OHV use, Colorado’s 64 counties have sworn in to office, that would which is a significant change term limits. The argument be their first term governed by that would warrant review. At made for no term limits on the term limits.” a minimum, additional signage elected offices that require spe- The deadline for adding would be required.