Garfield County

Candidates Jonathan Godes and Eric Rudd were questioned on top issues facing the county at a debate in September. They’ll face off in the Nov. 3 election.

Garfield County School District 16 serves Parachute and Battlement Mesa, where some students struggle to read and write. It's getting more than $400,000 in federal grant funding to bolster those areas.

Funding from the county will stop after 2027. The Town of Silt, the City of Rifle and the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority are working to find a more permanent funding solution.

The Hogback bus route will end in November if Silt and Garfield County do not agree to a new three-year plan.

Garfield County Libraries has appointed Abraham Korah, a former branch library manager and Colorado Mountain College library director, as its new executive director. Korah takes the helm as the district navigates ongoing efforts to censor books, growing library use and a potential mill levy renewal on the November ballot.

The county claims the city filed an incomplete land use application, but Glenwood says it doesn’t need to file one at all.

Garfield County’s longtime sheriff, Lou Vallario, is stepping down at the end of this year, and two Republican candidates — Garfield County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Lt. Brent Baker and Eagle County Undersheriff Dan Loya — are competing to take over his position in the June 30 primary election.

Firefighters continued making progress on the 20-acre fire east of Ruedi Reservoir Friday, reaching 40% containment. A road closure remains for the general public.

Some Rifle city councilors see it as a way to improve connectivity in Garfield County. But transportation challenges remain if RFTA shuts down the Hogback bus route this fall.

Healthcare workers use resource directories to direct people to the help they need. Now, the nonprofit West Mountain Regional Health Alliance has one for a range of Pitkin, Garfield and Eagle Counties’ organizations. This story is part of our “On the Ground” radio series that highlights solutions to local and global issues from Roaring Fork and Colorado River valley organizations.