The Kiowa County Hospital District and County Board met in regular session on October 25, 2016 at 6:32 p.m. at the Bank Meeting Room.

District Board members present were: Robert Woods, Priscilla Waggoner, Mary Eikner, Sylvia Shields and Cathryn Anderson.

County Board members present were: Kim Harris, Craig Kerfoot and Lori Shalberg. Absent: Dennis Pearson (called) and John Negley

Others present: Tristen Sheridan, Wendy McDowell, Shannon Dixon, Kevin Siefkas, Braylynn Eder and Cassie Frey.

The meeting was called to order by Mary Eikner, Chairman of the Board.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus -- and the U.S. Postal Service can help you prove it when Santa replies to your child's letter -- complete with a North Pole postmark.

Here are the steps for your child to get a letter back from Santa:

1.    Have your child write a letter to Santa and place it in an envelope addressed to: Santa Claus, North Pole.

2.     Later, when alone, open the envelope and write a personalized response.

The regular Kiowa County Commissioner's Meeting was called to order on October 25, 2016 at 9:00a.m. by Chairman Richard Scott. Scott opened the meeting with prayer and Pledge of Allegiance. Those in Attendance were:

Richard Scott, Chairman

Cindy McLoud, Commissioner

Donald Oswald, Commissioner

Delisa Weeks, County Clerk

Tina Adamson, County Administrator

Oswald moved and McLoud seconded the motion to approve the minutes as presented. All Commissioners voted Affirmative.

Ensuring those serving in the nation's armed forces and diplomatic service receive their holiday mail in time is a priority for the Postal Service. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Deadlines for Christmas delivery to U.S. Military and APO/FPO depend on the destination. For most destinations, the following cutoff dates apply:

Priority Packages  and First-Class Cards and Letters: Dec 9

Priority Express Mail: Dec 16

The file below in Adobe Acrobat PDF format contains the unofficial election results from Kiowa County for the 2016 general election.

Did you know there is a program that could pay for a portion of your heating costs if you qualify? The LEAP (Low-Income Energy Assistance Program) runs from November 1, 2016 through April 30, 2017. You may only apply and be approved one time in this period. Contact Ashlynn Miner at Kiowa County Social Services (438-5541) for more information.

Baca and Otero Counties will be hosting free legal self-help clinics via computer link for people without attorneys. Volunteer attorneys provide one-on-one assistance.

The Baca County clinic, sponsored by the Baca County Board of County Commissioners and hosted at the Baca County Library, is held the second Wednesday of the month starting at 3:00 p.m. The library is located at 1260 South Main Street, Springfield, in Suite 1 of the Resource Center. Call the library at 719-523-6962 to sign up. Free clinics are currently scheduled for November 9 and December 14.

Colorado's senior population is growing at a rapid pace. It is estimated that the number of Coloradans over the age of 65 will reach roughly 1.2 million by 2030, up from 555,000 in 2010. Along with the 120 percent increase in our senior population, it is expected that Colorado seniors will live longer and require more economic resources to afford the services and care they need to age in place.

All ballots must be received - not postmarked - by November 8 deadline to count.

The 2016 General Election is just days away and the U.S. Postal Service is encouraging Colorado voters to mail in their completed ballots now to allow for timely receipt and processing by local election officials.