Episode 15 ~ July 30, 2020

Thanks for tuning in to Rio Blanco County news. Here are highlights from the July 30 edition of the Herald Times. HT intern Sophia Goedert takes a look at how the coronavirus pandemic has affected area ranchers, from packing plant bottlenecks to nonexistent markets. This week’s feature story and photos on page 1A. Rio Blanco County public health nurse Kelly Christian of Rangely has resigned after accepting a position at Rangely District Hospital. A goodbye potluck was held July 22. According to RBC’s help wanted listing in the classifieds, applicants for Christian’s position are still being sought. Oil and gas fallout is going to hit Rio Blanco County where it hurts this season. Preliminary numbers indicate an 11.5% drop in revenue due to impacts on assessed valuations. This translates to about $900,000, or 5% of operating expenses, according to Finance Director Janae Stanworth. The reduction in property tax revenue will also extend to every special district with a mill levy. Additionally, the county expects to lose about $1 million in severance tax and mineral lease dollars this year, and even more in 2021. According to RBC Assessor Renae Nielsen, about 80% of the county’s total assessed value is tied to oil and gas. In pandemic related news, Public Health is working on the application for the county to move into the third phase of the coronavirus response titled “Protect Your Neighbor.” Case counts remain at 6, with all patients recovered. The HT hosted a fourth coronavirus q&a live last Thursday. Here’s an excerpt. “The whole point of closures, the whole reason any society chooses to close down or shut down, this is around the world, it’s all about hospital capacity. If you think of it in terms of that, anything we can do, even if a lot of people are going to be asymptomatic, so we’re not going to be able to use just hey stay home if you’re sick as a strategy but if we can wear a mask and we can have broader mask usage if we do that we can really reduce the risk or reduce the amount the virus is spre