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In December, the National Park Service (NPS) and The Conservation Fund finalized a purchase to add 2,494 acres to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Located near the visitor center and along the south rim of the canyon, this addition to the park will provide access for additional recreation opportunities, wildlife habitat, and potential utility improvements in the park, which saw over 300,000 visitors in 2017.

Customers have sparked change in their communities by participating in a unique program offered by Alpine Bank. Last year alone, the bank donated $1,140,350 to nonprofits and other community organizations through the bank's Loyalty Debit Card program.

On Thursday Jan. 25, at approximately 4 a.m., the Delta Police Department was called to 755 1600 Road for a structure fire. The structure was not occupied.

February is a time for sweethearts, candy hearts, red roses and valentines. It is also a time to show affection for local libraries! February is Library Lovers Month and here in Delta County there is likely a lot of love to go around.

Jan. 21:

A juvenile female of Delta was issued a summons on charges of illegal possession or consumption by an underage person (marijuana).

Jan. 22:

A juvenile female of Delta was arrested and jailed on a warrant with no bonds.

Mike Lane, a Delta County native, announces his candidacy for the District 1 seat on the Board of County Commissioners, representing the Republican Party.

He is seeking the seat currently held by Doug Atchley, who is term limited.

About one in five Americans (21 percent), or 37 million people, live in a community with a shortage of health professionals.

Since 1972, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has been on the frontlines in these communities, providing quality health care to patients who otherwise might not receive primary care services.

A new sign has been placed at the Ute Council Tree. The previous sign, in place for 30 years, was not only deteriorating but had some inaccuracies.

Higher sales prices and fewer days on the market are clear indicators the real estate market in Delta County is rebounding. Statistics provided by the Delta County Board of Realtors illustrate that the housing market made a huge turnaround in 2017.

Senior CommUnity meals are served at four dining sites in Delta County -- Cedaredge Community Center (Monday-Thursday), Delta Community Center (Monday-Friday), Hotchkiss Senior Center (Monday-Thursday) and Paonia Senior Citizen Center (Monday, Wednesday and Friday).

Delta County has released an updated draft of the county's Master Plan vision, goals and strategies. The Delta County Planning Commission is now working to create a Future Land Use Plan.

If you have not received your 2017 tax bill, you should be seeing it soon. For those who receive a credit for the senior/veterans exemption, county treasurer Lisa Tafoya has pointed out a discrepancy in the actual valuation credit amount shown on tax bills.

County Commissioners Doug Atchley, Mark Roeber and Don Suppes vacated Phase II of Mira La Vista Subdivision at their Jan. 16 meeting.

Mira La Vista Subdivision was reviewed by Delta County Planning Department from 2006-2009.

In response to Carson Roirthmayr's letter last week. First, I too feel President Trump should be able to curb his tongue.

Whether we Americans want to admit it or not, there's irrefutable evidence that the Russians interfered with our democratic election process. And just as a reminder, mid-term elections will take place in November of this year.

The battle waged by Edwin Hostetler, the Farm Bureau and Olen Lund against the resident landowner adjacent to the egg laying operation, veterinarian Susan Raymond, has been one-sided and prejudiced in favor of the conservative community in this valley without any consideration for the rights of landowners who also live and work here and have the inherent right to breathe clean air and be protected from industrial activities disrupting their lives and well-being.

Well, I guess it is time for the silly season, at least here in Paonia. The municipal elections are scheduled for April 3 and the trivial and outlandish stories are already starting.

A recent letter sent to the DCI by high school student Carson Roithmayr regarding the appalling comments President Trump made deserve a response. Right now every school district in the country is dealing with how to prevent school shootings, teenage suicide and bullying -- bullying being a catalyst that starts a lot of these horrible events.

Aztec pulled off a 42-30 win over the 2A No. 2 ranked Cedaredge Bruins last Friday.

Beginning at 126, Sean Dale lost by fall;

The Hotchkiss Bulldogs increased their winning streak to four games last week and upped their conference record to 6-1 with wins over Hayden and Soroco. Both games were played in Hotchkiss.

Delta High School senior Colton Galvin recently signed a letter of intent to play football at Presentation College, with campuses in both South Dakota and Minnesota.

The college is split across campuses in Aberdeen, and Sioux Falls in South Dakota and Fairmont, Minnesota.

On Jan. 25 Delta was beaten 39-35 by Montrose's Indians. A trip to Eaton on Friday ended with the Reds winning by a score of 65-10. Delta's undefeated, and No. 1 ranked, 285-pounder, Logan Church missed the dual competitions this past week.

Panther freshman Ben Koch won the 120-pound division, defeating Sterling's Zach Loft, ranked seventh in state, by fall (0:56) to win the championship Saturday at the Valley Viking Wrestling invitational at Gilcrest.

In what head coach Chase Roeber called "a really big week," the Paonia Eagles bumped their conference record to 6-1 on wins over Vail Christian Friday and De Beque Saturday.

In Friday's 80-67 win at Vail Christian, senior Enoch Kropp scored a game- and season-high 39 points.

The Hotchkiss Bulldogs placed nine wrestlers and scored 151 points to finish fourth at the Valley Classic wrestling invitational at Center High School. Twenty-seven teams registered for the tournament.

The Hotchkiss girls are 7-6 overall and 3-3 in the 2A/1A Western Slope conference following a home win Friday over Hayden and a loss Saturday to Soroco.

In their 37-27 win over Hayden (3-10, 1-5), Carson Collins led in scoring with 15 points.

In their final home dual of the season the Paonia Eagles defeated Olathe last Thursday, 59-9.

The dual opened at 160 pounds with Olathe's Wyatt Mansker winning by an 8-2 decision over Jesse Burns.

The Paonia girls are now 5-2 in the 2A/1A Western Slope conference and 9-5 overall. On Jan. 23, Paonia played to a 43-21 non-conference loss at Grand Valley (8-4 overall, 2-1, 3A WSL). On Friday night, the Eagles lost a conference battle at Vail Christian by a score of 44-32.

What does it take to be a top college athlete? Many Delta High School faculty members and family and friends, in Delta know the answer to that question.

On Wednesday, Feb. 21, the Colorado Archaeological Society Chipeta Chapter will have its second annual members' potpourri meeting where chapter members will present short illustrated talks about their own adventures.

The eighth annual Soil Health Conference will be held Feb. 22 and 23 at the Delta Center for Performing Arts, located at 822 Grand Avenue in Delta.

Matt and Brianna Anderson of Cedaredge are the parents of a son, Jaxton Matthew Anderson, born Jan. 20, 2018, at Delta County Memorial Hospital. He weighed 6 pounds, 7.2 ounces and was 20.5 inches in length.

In the midst of a tragedy it is utterly amazing how the walls of division, once separating the beloved Delta High, break down, bringing the students and faculty together in an undeniable bond of unity. The past couple of weeks have been, without a doubt, a trial as the people of the school grieve the loss of a beloved junior boy.

The Nature Connection GOCO Inspire program dedicates its efforts to getting youth outdoors, with a special emphasis on outdoor experiences for youth of Olathe and Delta County.

With the Skis for Kids program, The Nature Connection has expanded to serve youth groups across the Western Slope, from Ouray and Ridgway to Glenwood Springs and Mesa County.

Don Lee Case of Delta died Jan. 30, 2018, at Colorow Care Center in Olathe. He was 88.

Alice E. Curtis died Jan. 29, 2018, at her home in Delta. She was 80.

Celia Roberts died at her home in Paonia Jan. 21, 2018.

She was born and raised in Kentucky.

Charles Robert "Bob" Hicks, 65, a husband, brother, father, grandfather, and dear friend, passed away Jan. 12, 2018, at Hemet Valley Medical Center. Bob was born July 19, 1952, in Delta Colo., the son of Jack Hicks and the late Charlie Lea Hillis Hicks.

David Joseph Bond died Jan. 24, 2018, at his home in Delta. He was 53.

Former Paonia resident Richard C. "Dick" McGaughey Jr. died on Jan. 17, 2018, in Omaha, Neb. He was 85.

Elnora Belle Turner died Jan. 21, 2018, at her home in Goodyear, Ariz. She was 100.

Eva Lee Caldwell died Jan. 23, 2018. She was 78.

Gertrude "Hazel" Long died Jan. 25, 2018, at Pioneer Park Health Care Center in Lone Tree, Iowa. She was 94.

Longtime Delta resident June Calhoun died Jan. 16, 2018, in Sun City, Ariz. She was 88.

Nina May Den Beste, 96, passed away peacefully on Monday, Jan. 22, 2018, at the Crossroads Memory Care facility in Delta, Colo. She was born in Eckert, Colo., on July 23, 1921, to Rufus G. and Viva Pyle Loucks, the middle child of five.

Olathe resident Robert August Liddell died Jan. 18, 2018, at Colorow Care Center in Olathe. He was 91.

Sandra Davis passed away 80 days short of 55 years married to Ralph (R.D.) Davis. She went to be with Jesus on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, at HopeWest Hospice Care Center in Grand Junction after a second, year-long battle with triple-negative breast cancer.

Cedaredge resident Sandra H. "Sandy" Miller passed away Monday, Jan. 22, 2018 at her home in Cedaredge, Colo. Sandy was 80 years old.

Zora Magdalene "Madge/Maggie" Burson Marksberry died Jan. 26, 2018, at Colorow Care Center in Olathe. She was 91.

When Bindi Pennetta graduated from Hotchkiss High School in 1997, she had thoughts of becoming a teacher but kept signing up for psychology classes because they were so interesting.

It was a post-graduate job with Susan Hillyard, a Delta attorney, that set her on the path to becoming a lawyer.

A new gallery show opened last Friday at the Blue Sage Center for the Arts. Works include abstract landscapes of salvaged metal and resin by Devon Alves, wooden puzzle boxes by Shannon Richards, jewelry by Tess Bachaus and Ilde Ingraham, felted wool pieces by Lynn Gillespie, and sculptures in wood, metal and other found objects by Nancy Whelan and inspired by sculptor Louise Nevelson.

Celia Roberts was a petite woman, but her photographs and her indomitable spirit made a big imprint on the lives of her subjects, and on those who knew her.

Roberts was surrounded by friends, poetry and song when she died at her Paonia home on Jan. 21.

A new horseback riding club is being formed in the North Fork. Terry Randall is establishing a social club to share trail rides, information and fun.

At the Jan. 23 board meeting, Paonia trustees voted to approve an engagement commitment with the accounting firm of RubinBrown to complete the fiscal year 2017 town audit.

Cost of services, according to the letter of engagement with RubinBrown that was approved by the board, will be $23,000 plus $5,000 for preparation of financial statements.

Seven Hotchkiss K-8 students have been named to the Middle School All-State Choir. Students from around the state send in audition tapes in the fall to be judged and it takes months before results are announced.

Earlier this month Pat Means officially stepped down from her position as chairperson for the Historical Preservation Advisory Board. Her decision itself was an historic event since it signaled something unique for a woman who has been immersed for 15 years in the fabric of her community.

Bruce Stanley is quickly getting up to speed as building inspector for both Orchard City and Cedaredge. Although Cedaredge has zoning and Orchard City does not, and Cedaredge has a code enforcement officer and Orchard City does not, both communities have adopted the 2006 building codes for residential and commercial construction.

The Cedaredge Board of Trustees met in regular session on Jan. 18.

Water was a dominant theme as the trustees approved an $818,000 bid for the Highway 65 waterline replacement project and increased funding for the town's 2018 water and wastewater utility relief fund. In other water-related actions, the trustees approved a reduction in the water rate to be paid by the Surface Creek Saddle Club, gave rare approval to a proposed in-town septic system, and heard concerns from Cedaredge Golf Club staff regarding the condition of the golf course grounds and irrigation system.

I gaze out the dining room window. A bird shape glides from our cottonwood tree and lands in the neighbor's pasture.