Episode 14 ~ July 23, 2020

Welcome to Rio Blanco County News. Here's your update for the week of July 23, 2020. If you happened to be on the planet, oh, 6,700 years ago, you may have caught a glimpse of a comet making its way through the sky. Since NASA definitely wasn’t around back then, scientists have only recently discovered a new-to-us celestial body, dubbed NEOWISE after the mission that spotted it: the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. NEOWISE is approximately three miles wide. Check page 1A of this week’s edition for a sky map and a NASA video on spotting the comet. Give it a shot with binoculars, a telescope, or even the naked eye, as this comet won’t be seen again until the year 8,786. Three wildland fires in Rio Blanco County are now mostly contained after an incident management team took over command last week, setting up a large camp at the RBC Fairgrounds. The fires burned a total 3,712 acres. Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect in Rio Blanco County and on Bureau of Land Management and White River National Forest land. More in our update on Page 1A. Nichols Store in Rangely is celebrating their 116th birthday this year. Fred Nichols, who worked for the Meeker Herald in the early 1900s, managed and then purchased the general store in 1963. In 1974, Bill Hume, a long-time employee, and his brother John purchased the store. Bill continues to operate it today. Check out photos on page 1A. The Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials has been canceled this year due to coronavirus concerns. Make plans for the 2021 event, which is set for September 8-12. More on Page 1A. Commissioners and some residents came out against a statewide mask mandate at Tuesday’s meeting in Rangely. RBC Public Health Director Alice Harvey expressed support for the commissioners politically, but stated Public Health will still be encouraging mask usage because scientific data indicates it can help slow the spread of the virus. Why? Well, a covering over your face and nose makes it harder for your spit to make it