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In a letter addressed to Secretary Sally Jewell, U.S. Department of the Interior, County Commissioners Bruce Hovde, Doug Atchley and Mark Roeber told Secretary Jewell, "Coal is the backbone of our nation's electric grid and Delta County."

The letter enumerates costs to the coal industry which add to the companies' expense in doing business.

With the acquisition of several large grants and the development of a comprehensive implementation strategy, the regional broadband network proposed by Region 10 is becoming more of a reality by the day.

As this project accelerates, the need for a high level of detail and technical knowledge to implement the strategy are the utmost importance.

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and Trade is partnering with the counties of Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Ouray, San Miguel and Montrose to bring one-on-one consulting to the area. All businesses in the region can take advantage of the business growth strategy assistance.

By a 3-2 vote, Delta City Council voted to pursue a grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation to complete the first portion of a trail extension from Confluence Park.

In a special meeting July 26, councilmembers agreed to set aside matching funds of $100,000, which is about 20 percent of the total cost of developing the trail under the Highway 50 bridge in North Delta.

In the mid 1980s, the City of Delta established an urban renewal authority for the purpose of renovating downtown Delta. Merchants agreed to give up their vendor fee -- the portion of sales tax collections they were allowed to keep to cover bookkeeping expenses -- to fund the effort.

Through the Delta Urban Renewal Authority, the Last Chance building at the corner of 3rd and Main was purchased and converted into a visitors' center that today houses the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce.

Delta County Board of Commissioners Bruce Hovde, chair, Mark Roeber and Doug Atchley, convening in their role as the Board of Equalization for property tax assessments, heard three petitions for adjustments to county assessor's tax assessments on Aug. 1.

Hearing officer Allen Black had made recommendations to the commissioners regarding the three properties.

Lance Timbreza, a 1997 graduate of Delta High School, has been named a Mesa County district judge.

Timbreza was one of three finalists selected by the 21st Judicial District for a district court judgeship created by the retirement of the Hon. David A. Bottger.

Much to the disappointment of organizer Judi Culp, a dinner to honor cancer survivors and their caregivers has been cancelled.

Culp scheduled the dinner for Aug. 27, after the annual Relay For Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, failed to come together.

Summer vacation is winding to a close. In a few short weeks, it will be time to put away summer fun and replace it with school -- waking up early, catching the bus, and attending classes.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has authorized an emergency fish salvage at Big Eggleston Lake on the Grand Mesa starting Saturday, Aug. 6. The lake is being drained so that repairs can be made to a dam outlet structure.

Keanu L. Farmer, 23, of Montrose was arrested and jailed for alleged violation of a protection order.

Bradley R. Cunico, 50, of Delta was arrested and jailed for alleged DUI.

The Region 10 broadband project is looking to the state for more grant money to extend fiber optic cable to "anchor institutions" within local communities. The Region 10 plan has received grant commitments from the state and federal governments, and also cash support from the cities of Delta and Montrose and Delta County.

Diane Obermeyer has worked in nearly every department at Crossroads of Delta. Now her responsibilities have been expanded to include the 32-bed memory care unit that opened early this year.

Partners of Delta, Montrose and Ouray is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building one-to-one mentoring partnerships between young people and responsible, caring adults. Spending an average of three hours a week with a local child, volunteers have a supported opportunity to make a positive difference in the life of a child.

After spending five days combing the Uncompahgre National Forest, searchers have exhausted resources and all leads looking for 82-year-old Mary Finnegan of Delta.

In light of the time that has passed since Finnegan was reported missing, and when her car was found as well as the extensive search that was conducted, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office made the decision to suspend the search at the end of last Thursday.

Vendors and salon professionals are sought for the fourth annual Girl Talk: A Day of Beauty & Bliss fundraiser on Sunday, Sept. 11, at the Delta-Montrose Technical College. This popular event is organized by the Abraham Connection homeless shelter as a way to raise operational funds.

The Colorado High School Activities Association and its 352 member schools open the 96th school year with boys' golf official practice on Aug. 8. All other sports start officially on Aug. 15.

The Delta Family Center will host its fourth annual back-to-schoool celebration Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Delta Family Center located at 822 Grand Avenue in Delta. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on the front lawn and starting at 10:30 a.m., lunch will be provided by the Delta Lions Club.

The Delta Hubwheelers square dance club has scheduled Saturday nights, Aug. 6 and 20, in the aerobics room at the Bill Heddles Recreation Center, 531 N. Palmer Street, Delta.

Both will be regular dances; however, there will be an ice cream social at halftime of the Aug. 20 dance.

Bill Heddles Recreation Center is offering volleyball skills and games for grades K-4. The registration fee is $30.

The family of Anna Marie Suppes invites friends and family to help celebrate her 100th birthday at the Olathe Community Center.

The local students listed below were named to the Dean's List of Distinction or the Dean's Honor Roll in recognition of their outstanding scholarship for the 2015-16 academic year at the University of Northern Colorado.

Benjamin Justman, a graduate of Paonia High School, graduated from Colorado College with a bachelor's degree in geology.

College may be five years away for James Goff, but he's already secured his first scholarship of $1,000.

Goff, an eighth grader at Delta Middle School, is a recipient of the Alan D. Laff scholarship, awarded to a student leader in the 9Health Fair in the Classroom fair.

Delta County Joint School District #50 has expanded its online registration process for the 2016-17 school year. In the past, the Registration Gateway has been used for new students; now it's open to both new and returning students.

Esther P. Cruz passed away on Monday July 11, 2016, at Montrose Memorial Hospital with her daughters by her side.

Esther was born June 7, 1955 in Delta, Colo., to Jose and Maria Lopez.

Eugene David Lorig Sr. died at his home in Paonia July 23, 2016. He was 89.

Gladys Brandt died Saturday, July 30, 2016, at her home in Delta. She was 83.

James F. Loving, age 75, of Salt Lake City, Utah went to be home with his Lord on Dec. 15, 2015, at Regional West Medical Center, Scottsbluff, Neb.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Joye R. Nichols died Tuesday, July 26, 2016, at her home in Cedaredge. She was 88.

June Patricia DeVries died July 27, 2016, at her residence in Delta. She was 75.

Margaret Marina Armendariz died July 26, 2016, at Colorow Care Center in Olathe. She was 83.

Paul L. Cook died July 5, 2016, at HopeWest in Grand Junction. He was 89.

Rose Radke died Saturday, July 23, 2016, at Colorow Care Center. She was 87.

Local community organizations are hosting an informational and action meeting for North Fork residents to learn about BLM's proposed resource management plan (RMP), which will determine how public lands on the Western Slope are managed for the next 20-30 years. The meeting will take place at Paonia High School at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8.

When thinking about the resources available at our public libraries, most people think about books. Many people associate libraries with having easy access to computers and the internet.

On July 15, the Delta County Livestock Association hosted a great afternoon of learning, collaboration and socializing.

The afternoon kicked off with Libby Bigler, the Colorado Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) coordinator, giving a BQA certification training at the Heritage Hall in Hotchkiss.

As the deadline for commenting on the Bureau of Land Management's Draft Resource Management Plan approaches, a growing number of outdoor recreation enthusiasts are focused on support for special recreational status for Jumbo Mountain and other areas of prime recreational interest in the North Fork area.

First called Elephant's Back, Jumbo was re-named after the famous circus elephant after the release of the 1952 movie, "The Greatest Show on Earth."

Due to the Delta County Fair being held the week of Aug. 12-21, the August meeting of the Hotchkiss Town Council will be moved to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18,

With time running out for North Fork citizens and municipalities to submit formal written comments on the Bureau of Land Management's draft Resource Management Plan for managing BLM-administered surface land and mineral estate in southwestern Colorado, Alex Johnson requested to speak at the July 26 Paonia town board meeting.

Johnson, executive director for the Western Slope Conservation Center, said he represents the organization's roughly 450 members, most of whom live in the North Fork area and Paonia.

While awaiting annexation into the town, Berg Harvest Mercantile, located adjacent to the Paonia Library is open and doing well, said Lauren Thliveris. Thliveris represented Andrew Thliveris at the July 26 Paonia hearing for annexation of two lots into the town.

Representatives with the Town of Paonia's accounting firm, RubinBrown LLP, said the town is "Trending in the right direction" during their public presentation of the town's 2015 audit.

In addition to high marks by auditors, RubinBrown engagement partner Russell White reported that they encountered "no difficulties in performing the audit that would obstruct its timely completion."

Three days after town auditors gave high marks for the 2015 audit, Paonia town manager Jane Berry announced that she will resign from her position effective Aug. 24.

The town board of trustees voted unanimously to appoint Berry as town manager in October 2014.

The Aug. 11 work session of the Cedaredge Board of Trustees has been canceled

NOTE: During the Cedaredge trustees' July 21 meeting, Mayor Gene Welch encouraged the other board members to read a Cedaredge Police Department report on an important, difficult and successful law enforcement operation that the local department played a key role in. The DCI reported on major events referenced in the account beginning in 2014.

On June 25, 105 former Fairview School students and guests enjoyed their 25th reunion at the Gunnison River Pleasure Park.

The school was located in the Orchard City area on Fairview Road between Austin and Cory.

Greg and Kristi Stratman with RE/MAX Mountain West are among the 2,691 RE/MAX agents and teams featured in the 2016 REAL Trends "America's Best Real Estate Agents" survey. The agents included in the survey represent less than 1 percent of all real estate professionals in the United States.

On Saturday, July 30, the Grand Mesa Visitor Center put on its seventh annual Moose Day celebration. The event raises awareness and provides education on the moose population of the Grand Mesa National Forest, which initially started with 91 moose introduced to the environment from 2005 to 2007.

"Sacred Bites," a Bible study at 4B's Brewery, takes place weekly on Thursdays from 1 to 2 p.m. Each participant orders and pays for their own meal.