NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
INUNDATED
Flooding closes park trail, tennis courts in Paonia, B1
SPORTS
FAIR PREVIEW
BEHIND THE NAME
Chamber get-together showcases exhibitors, fair board members, C1
Paonia football field has carried coach’s name for 80+ years, B6
DELTA COUNTY
JULY 11, 2018 VOL. 135, NO. 28
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
Tips sought on potholes vandalism
The BLM is offering a monetary reward for information leading to the identification of those responsible for vandalism in the potholes recreation site in DominguezEscalante National Conservation Area. The vandalism consists of more than 50 illustrations, words, and abbreviations spray-painted on rocks between the parking area and the swimming holes. It likely occurred sometime between June 25 and June 29. “The BLM and our neighbors and visitors have an equal responsibility to ensure
that we are all good stewards of our public lands,” said Collin Ewing, National Conservation Area manager. “The potholes are a popular destination and we encourage all visitors to leave the area in better condition than they found it.” BLM law enforcement is actively investigating the incident and is working to determine the cost and scope of cleanup efforts. Anyone with information about this vandalism should contact BLM law enforcement at 970-244-3111.
A cool spot to hang out
Photo by Pat Sunderland
Grand Mesa is a beautiful destination any time of the year, but it’s especially tempting when temperatures in the valley hover around 100°. Above, a hiker and his companion take a break after completing a portion of the Crag Crest Trail. Some sections of the trail have been closed for the harvest of dead and dying trees from the spruce beetle outbreak. The majority of the historic trail, however, remains open for public use. The trail can be accessed from a trailhead off Highway 65.
Democratic candidate talks health care BY ANNETTE BRAND Staff Writer
Jared Polis, Democrat candidate for Colorado governor, hosted a Delta health care town hall at the Wild Flower Bistro in Delta on July 3. Over 70 people attended. Polis introduced himself and his running mate, Dianne Primavera. “Solving health care problems in rural Colorado is a major concern for me and for Dianne,” Polis said. “In rural Colorado, there simply aren’t enough doctors and providers to bring highquality care to communities across the state. According to a recent study, insurance costs in western Colorado are over $1,000 above the state average. “Health care in Colorado is about life or death,” Polis said. Polis announced Primav-
era as his choice for a running mate on July 2. Denver Business Journal wrote on July 3, “The selection of Dianne Primavera elevates health care to the forefront of the gubernatorial race.” Primavera serves as the director of Komen Colorado, the breast cancer fighting organization. She is a breast cancer survivor. Primavera is also a former Colorado legislator, serving District 33. She is a counselor by profession. Three health care providers spoke out at the July 3 town hall. Jeremy Carroll, CEO of River Valley Family Health Center, which provides primary health care in Montrose, Olathe and Delta, spoke first. He said River Valley provides a full scope of health services, including mental health,
Photo by Annette Brand
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis and his running mate, Dianne Primavera, promise to be a strong voice for health care in Colorado.
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Agriculture ................... B5 Activities ....................... A7 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A8 Church ............................C6 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D2-4 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ..................... A6 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports .............................B6 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4
access to special care, cardiology, and dermatology. Carroll said, “There are not enough specialists in town for our service area. We have to send patients to Grand Junction and Denver. Thirty percent of our patients have no insurance.” Dr. Mark Carlton, director of pharmacy at Delta County Memorial Hospital, spoke of the burden of the costs of drugs for DCMH patients, “brought to you by the pharmaceutical industry,” and asked the candidates to help reduce that cost of drugs. Carlton also spoke of the costs to patients when there is no local doctor who can provide extended care. When a patient has to drive 160 miles roundtrip to Grand Junction every two weeks for treatments, not only is the patient inconvenienced, but the patient’s support people have to take time off from work and sit through the treatments. He stressed the need to have nurses and doctors caring for patients locally. Dorothy Pew, manager of HopeWest Delta, asked for the candidates’ help with the regulatory burden, which she said is overwhelming for management of small nonprofit organizations. “A young lady in my office had to spend 26 hours on the phone to get one bill straightened out,” she said. “Please sort out the regulatory burden,” Pew emphasized. Polis asked for a show of hands for those having trouble getting in to see a doctor.
Several hands went up, with one person saying the Delta hospital didn’t renew contracts with three doctors and it took her five months to get in to see a new doctor. Polis noted that in the Denver area all the hospitals are expanding. With 51 percent of its patients under Medicaid, Delta County Memorial Hospital isn’t in a position to expand, nor are other rural hospitals. We need better transparency on the difficulty in being able to expand in areas where expansion is
needed, he said. Polis also said he would like to see better access to telemedicine. People spoke out about the cost of health insurance. One woman said she had been on her husband’s insurance. Her husband died, she moved to Delta County from the Front Range, and the cost for her obtaining health insurance is $1,700 a month, which she cannot afford. Dick Gilmore said his wife has chronic lymphocytic HEALTH CARE TO A3
Traffic accident claims second life BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
A traffic accident in Olathe Tuesday, July 3, has claimed a second life. The Colorado State Patrol reports that Walter Giron, 61, died Monday, July 9, of injuries he sustained in that crash. He had been hospitalized at Montrose Memorial Hospital. Samuel Giron, 54, of Delta passed away a few hours after the accident, which occurred at about noon at the intersection of Colorado Highway 50 and South 12th Street in Olathe. Walter Giron was the driver of a van that was attempting to make a left turn on to S. 12th from westbound Highway 50. Samuel
County’s unaffiliated voters beat the odds
Delta County’s unaffiliated voters beat the odds in the June 26 primary election — just 1.3 percent of ballots were rejected, compared to the statewide rejection rate of 2.4 percent, according to election figures released by the Colorado secretary of state. Just 23 of the 1,744 unaffiliated voters participating in the primary election in Delta County cast more than one ballot. “Kudos to county clerk Teri Stephenson and her staff,” said a representative of the secretary of state’s office. “I am incredibly proud of the efforts by our county clerks and media partners who helped deliver the message to only vote one ballot,” Secretary of State Wayne Williams said. “Our office will be working with the clerks to improve the percentage in our next primary election, in 2020.” Voters in 2016 approved Proposition 108, which allowed unaffiliated voters to automatically participate in primary elections by voting for candidates on either the Democratic ballot or the Republican ballot. Based on other states’ results, one argument against the measure was that as many as 7 percent of the ballots would have to be disqualified because voters would fill out both ballots instead of one.
Giron was a passenger in the van. The Colorado State Patrol reports that the van may have turned into the pathway of an Olathe Police officer, Justin Hice, 28, of Grand Junction, which collided with the right side of the van. Hice had reportedly activated the emergency lights on his police cruiser. Hice was treated at Montrose Memorial Hospital and is now at home recuperating from surgery, according to Olathe Police Chief George Jackson. Trooper Josh Lewis, Colorado State Patrol public affairs spokesman, said the circumstances of the collision remain under investigation.
License fees increase The fee for a driver license increased by $1 to $28 on July 1, 2018, in accordance with Colorado Revised Statute 422-114.5. The fee increase is intended to offset the cost of providing driver services. This fee increase is the last of three written into the current law, which included a $1 price increase in the cost of driver licenses each year since 2015. Eligible Coloradans are encouraged to “skip the trip” and renew their licenses online at mydmv.colorado.gov.