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Tag: Mesa County

Deputies seize 60 pounds of meth, arrest two in traffic stop on Colorado’s Western Slope
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CBS Colorado, Local, Mesa County

Deputies seize 60 pounds of meth, arrest two in traffic stop on Colorado’s Western Slope

By Jennifer McRae | CBS Colorado Two people have been arrested following a traffic stop on Colorado's Western Slope in which authorities seized 60 pounds of methamphetamine. According to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, an investigator with the Western Colorado Drug Task Force conducted the traffic stop on Tuesday. The investigator approached the vehicle after it pulled into a gas station in Fruita following a traffic violation. The investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately 60 pounds of methamphetamine. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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Experts to debate Prop 131 (Ranked Choice Voting) at Oct. 18 event in Grand Junction
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Experts to debate Prop 131 (Ranked Choice Voting) at Oct. 18 event in Grand Junction

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice With many Colorado voters already having ballots in hand, soon decisions will need to be made on a variety of ballot initiatives, not the least of which is Proposition 131. The measure is an attempt to adopt Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) in Colorado. It would overhaul the existing election processes, with some having expressed concern over little evidence of making elections more efficient, trustworthy, voter-friendly or transparent. A panel discussion on Prop. 131 will take place Oct. 18 in the Robinson Theatre at Colorado Mesa University (CMU). The event is hosted by Restore the Balance (RTB), the CMU Civic Forum and the Young Forwardists. This panel discussion is free to the public. CMU Political Science Professor Tim Casey wi...
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On Western Slope, opioid crisis continues and sheriffs say it is leading to mental health, crime
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Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

On Western Slope, opioid crisis continues and sheriffs say it is leading to mental health, crime

By Lindy Browning | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell and Delta County Sheriff Mark Taylor have had  a constant battle fighting the opioid crisis in their counties since 2017, when it first started impacting western Colorado. MESA COUNTY When opioids first appeared as fentanyl on the Western Slope in 2017-18, each pill cost $18. Now, because of increases in the supply, they are $2 a pill.  "Fentanyl is a 45-minute high, and we see people taking up to 40 pills a day. It makes zombies out of people in our community,” Rowell said. In Mesa County, according to Rowell, law enforcement and first responders have had to administer Narcan - a medication that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose - 114 times in the last year. “That’s one person every t...
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A view from both sides of the 29 Road Interchange ballot measure in Mesa County
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Mesa County, Rocky Mountain Voice

A view from both sides of the 29 Road Interchange ballot measure in Mesa County

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice For decades, Mesa County folks have been dreaming of a common sense road fix to link 29 Road straight to Interstate 70. That connection is almost a reality. The Mesa County Board of County Commissioners gave the green light to a ballot measure, inching the area closer to smoother drives and less gridlock. As traffic congestion worsens, proponents argue for the interchange. They say it is vital for regional connectivity and to manage future traffic. The population is set to grow by 20-25% in 20 years, and acting now will prevent traffic jams. Grand Junction City Councilman Cody Kennedy and Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis have been leaders in pushing for the project. At a recent Mesa County Republican Women's luncheon, both ...
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Mesa County focused on stopping the spread of zebra mussels threatening water supply
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Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Mesa County focused on stopping the spread of zebra mussels threatening water supply

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice A small intruder endangers Mesa County's water infrastructure, agriculture, local economy and aquatic habitats, and Mesa County isn't alone facing the threat. Zebra mussels invade ecosystems unchecked. Their staggering reproductive rate fuels the crisis. A single female can unleash one million eggs. What's worse is that they reach maturity in about four months. These small mussels clog pipes and drip water tubing as they multiply.  They can invade canals and rivers, and cripple irrigation systems.  This July, zebra mussel DNA was detected in the Government Highline Canal and the Colorado River. Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel and Tina Bergonzini, general manager of the Grand Valley Water Users Association, have ...
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How engine trouble in Grand County inspired Constitution Day celebrations in Mesa County
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Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

How engine trouble in Grand County inspired Constitution Day celebrations in Mesa County

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Mesa County residents Edward and Betty Baltzer were in Grand County last summer when their Jeep broke down. During repairs, Betty saw a sign for Constitution Day events there and snapped a photo to show her friend, Lisa Fry. This sparked the idea to organize a celebration in Mesa County. Lisa Fry and Ruth Kinnett, co-hosts of The Mesa County Compass YouTube channel, led the initiative. Their efforts gained support from Mesa County Commissioners, resulting in a proclamation read by Commissioner Bobbie Daniel on Sept. 17 during a special ceremony. "Celebrating the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution provides an opportunity for all Americans to realize the achievements of the framers and the rights, privileges and resp...
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From communism to Colorado: Barbora Hurd’s call for freedom with Mesa County GOP Women
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Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

From communism to Colorado: Barbora Hurd’s call for freedom with Mesa County GOP Women

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice At the Mesa County Republican Women's monthly luncheon, Barbora Hurd, originally from Czechoslovakia, shared what a childhood under Communism was like. It took her seven years to become a U.S. citizen, after marrying 3rd District U.S. House Republican nominee Jeff Hurd. For Barbora, living in a country where hard work leads to achieving dreams is worth fighting for. Living Under Communism Barbora recalled: “I was born and grew up behind the Iron Curtain. This meant that we, as citizens, had no freedom of speech or expression. No freedom of religion or worship. We had no free press. We were not free to move. And we had no freedom to assemble.” Hurd quoted Czech ex-president Vaclav Havel on life under communism: “Because the ...
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Mesa County is filing a lawsuit against the State of Colorado regarding House Bill 24-1413
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Local, Mesa County News

Mesa County is filing a lawsuit against the State of Colorado regarding House Bill 24-1413

By Mesa County News Through the County Attorney's Office and in alliance with several other counties, Mesa County is filing a lawsuit against the State of Colorado and Jared S. Polis, in his official capacity as Governor of Colorado, seeking: A declaration that transferring $25 million of local government severance tax funds to the State's General Fund pursuant to House Bill 24-1413, enacted into law on May 22, 2024, is unlawful and prohibited. An injunction against such transfer and future transfers.  The Colorado General Assembly recently enacted Colorado House Bill 24-1413, which provides for $25 million to be transferred from the local government severance tax fund established by C.R.S. § 39-29-110 to the State of Colorado’s General Fund in order to balance the ...
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Todd Hollenbeck’s employment contract as county administrator approved
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Local, Mesa County, Mesa County News

Todd Hollenbeck’s employment contract as county administrator approved

By Mesa County News During the Aug. 27 public hearing, the commissioners approved Todd Hollenbeck’s employment contract as Mesa County Administrator — Hollenbeck will take the helm on Jan. 4, 2025. “Todd has a diverse set of experiences that make him tailor-made for this position,” said Commissioner Cody Davis. “He served Mesa County in criminal justice, public works, regional transportation, public health as the interim health director, and administration in his current role as Deputy County Administrator — it would be hard to find someone with a more diverse portfolio of experiences, coupled with his deep institutional knowledge and strong working relationships within our community.”  READ THE FULL STORY AT MESA COUNTY NEWS
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Summer skeeters: New mosquito species, the Aedes aegypti, found in Grand Junction
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kdvr.com, Local

Summer skeeters: New mosquito species, the Aedes aegypti, found in Grand Junction

By Timber Schuman | Fox 31 News A new mosquito species was discovered in Grand Junction –the Aedes aegypti. Grand River Mosquito Control District Manager Tim Moore told Nexstar’s WesternSlopeNow that only two of these mosquitoes were found in Grand Junction in 2023, and this June, three Colorado Mesa University students found several more — 12 adults and 150 eggs. Officials are not sure if they’re permanently established. The Aedes aegypti will live its whole two-to-four-week lifespan within 50 feet of where it hatched, unlike the Culex mosquito commonly seen in Mesa County, which will travel miles over its lifetime. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
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