While portions of southeast Colorado border counties showed some improvement in drought conditions, a new area of “exceptional drought” – the worst category – appeared elsewhere in the region.

Eastern Kiowa, Prowers and Baca counties showed improvement over the previous week, moving to moderate and severe drought. A small portion of northeast Kiowa County shifted into abnormally dry conditions, while much of Baca County has shed extreme drought over the past month as early summer storms continue to bring much-needed moisture to the area.

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife family is mourning the sudden, tragic loss of one of its own.

Tuesday afternoon around 4:30 p.m., 24-year-old David Mutabazi, a seasonal employee at Steamboat Lake State Park since May, apparently drowned while swimming in the park's lake after his shift had ended. A witness says Mutabazi was approximately 100 yards from shore when he began struggling in the water. The witness says she tried to swim to him and help, but Mutabazi disappeared under the water before she was able to reach him.

Due to lower water levels in Rampart Reservoir and related safety concerns, the management partners of the reservoir site will close the boat ramp and watercraft inspection station for the remainder of the season, starting at 5 p.m., Sunday, July 15.
Management partners include Colorado Springs Utilities, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the U.S. Forest Service. The decreased water levels in Rampart Reservoir are affecting the operability and safety of the boat ramp for launching and loading trailered/motorized boats.

Thinking of hopping in an inflatable inner tube to float the Arkansas River along any of the 152 miles within the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA)? Don’t forget your personal flotation device (PFD), or life jacket as they are commonly known.

“PFDs are not just a smart recommendation for safety in the AHRA”, said AHRA River Ranger Jeff Hammond. “They are mandatory safety gear throughout the recreation area, including the whitewater parks in Buena Vista, Salida and Cañon City.”

There’s a good reason for the PFD rule, he said.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an educational series designed to provide you with the tools you need to take care of yourself. 

This program helps family caregivers reduce stress, improve self-confidence, communicate feelings better, balance their lives, increase their ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources. 

Starting Monday, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local law enforcement agencies across the state will conduct a seven-day high-visibility Click It or Ticketenforcement period targeting rural areas of Colorado. These areas tend to have the lowest seat belt use rates in the state. Currently, Colorado’s statewide seat belt use rate is 84 percent, ranking Colorado in the bottom third in the nation.

Extension Agent Laura Krause of CSU Extension-Pueblo County will hold a hands-on food preservation workshop on Jams and Jellies, Thursday, August 2, 2018

1:00 pm to 4:00 p.m. or 6:00 pm to 9:00 p.m. Learn the role of pectin in gelling and get hints and tips to get the right consistency. Receive recipes for canned jams and jellies as well as freezer/refrigerator jellies.  Registration is required by July 26. Space is limited, and a $10 fee will be charged.

The woman who has been chosen as Citizen of the Year for 2017 has been active in town and county improvements for years. We have seen that she is able to make amazing contacts with people or organizations toward good things for our county.

Jan Richards began her fulltime career in Eads as the Elementary School Secretary and an EMT after moving here from St. Louis, Missouri. She ran her own plumbing business out of her house.     After a stint as Deputy Town Clerk, she took over the helm of Kiowa County Economic Development Foundation 10 years ago.

Conditions Report - Statewide

Rivers and Creeks

Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture Don Brown has announced a referendum of producers will be conducted August 9-31, 2018 on a millet marketing order in Colorado.  The High Plains Millet Association (HPMA) supports a millet marketing order and presented the results of a recently conducted survey to determine producer interest in a millet marketing order and check-off program to a public hearing held on June 22, 2018 in Akron.