Episode 1 ~ April 23, 2020

Your community news update from the Rio Blanco Herald Times for the week of April 23, 2020. Transcript below: Weather-wise, expect low sixties and high thirties this weekend with moderate cloud cover. Looking ahead tmps are expected to rise to nearly 80 degrees by next Thursday. Events planned this weekend include Cruisin’ Main put on by the Rangely Human Resource Council. Come out and cruise Main in your vehicle or OHV this Friday between 7 and 8 p.m. You’ll receive Chamber Bucks to spend at local businesses. The Meeker Food Bank at Meeker Methodist Church has plenty of supplies available for those in need. The Food Bank is preparing boxes for pick up by appointment only. Call the Methodist Church at 878-5904 to schedule a pick up. CHSAA, the Colorado High School Activities Association, has canceled all spring sports and events through June 1. It’s a tough blow for senior athletes, but according to a press release, it’s a necessary step for the health and safety of the sports community. Rio Blanco County is still more than 20 percentage points behind the national and state average for US Census reporting. 40.5 percent of Rangely households have taken the survey and 25.5 percent of households in Meeker have responded. You can complete the census by telephone, 844-330-2020, or online at my2020census.gov. The survey takes about 10 minutes. In this week’s edition, details on the lifting of the stay-at-home order next week April 26. Restrictions will still be in place. County Human Services Director Barb Bofinger reports less child abuse and neglect calls have been received during the coronavirus pandemic. This could signal underreporting, as teachers and child care providers are not able to watch over kids who are at risk. You can report child abuse 24/7 through the Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline. That number is 1-844-CO-4-KIDS. The stay-at-home order is set to lift next week, but it won’t be business as usual for quite some time. New mandates will highlight individual choices as Colorado enters t