News Now Blog

As members of the Fremont County Tourism Council (FCTC) analyze the number of internet visits to the council's official web site, www.rgcountry.com, the next challenge is to come up with a message that will compete with other Colorado attractions.

A site development plan for a new library in Penrose and a permit application for an ATV jamboree in the Penrose area in June highlight a busy agenda for the Fremont County Planning Commission May 6th.

The Gold Belt Byway Association invites Fremont County landowners to attend a conservation easement workshop in Canon City Wednesday evening May 7th from 5 until 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express. Fremont County Commissioner Mike Stiehl will have opening remarks.

Fremont County's Judicial Center will see improvements in emergency communications as the result of a grant awarded by the Colorado Court Security Commission. The Commission announced that Fremont County will receive a $10,995 grant to install a public address system in the Judicial Center to better facilitate a full evacuation of the building in the event of a fire or other emergency.

Renewal of a conditional use permit for a clay mine south of Rockvale highlighted a brief agenda Tuesday for the Fremont County Commissioners.

The Commissioners conducted a public hearing on Summit Brick and Tile Company's application to renew their permit for the Cherokee Clay Mine along County Road 84 south of Rockvale. Summit has operated the clay mine since 1977. Instead of another ten year permit, this Summit requested a 'life of the mine' permit. One neighbor expressed concern as to whether the mountain across from her will be mined but was told it will not.

The first test in several years of Fremont County's Emergency Preparedness Network (EPN) has been deemed a success based upon statistical data returned from the test that ran Wednesday evening, April 16th. The pre-planned test event for EPN, often referred to as 'reverse 9-1-1' targeted two neighborhoods which could see the effects of high water runoff along the Arkansas River this spring.

Members of the Fremont County Department of Human Services Child Support Enforcement Unit have received certificates for their participation in the 2007 goal to collect $300 million in child support payments statewide. Each county must meet specific goals and Fremont County's Child Support Enforcement Unit met all of their 2007 goals, collecting child support payments totaling $4,524,704. The goals include paternity establishment, percent of cases with child support orders, percent of current support paid and arrears cases with a payment.

Approval of an agreement with Colorado Springs Utilities regarding the Southern Delivery System highlighted a brief agenda of business for the Fremont County Commissioners at their April 8th regular meeting.

More than forty federal, state, and local officials gathered Thursday to discuss preparations on how to deal with high water and possible lowland flooding along the Arkansas River in Fremont County this spring. With Arkansas River basin snowpack now reported at 152 percent of average, officials said they believe spring runoff could reach its highest levels on the river in the past 13 years.

The Fremont County Commissioners arranged the county's 2008 lease-purchase financing package and extended one more time the deadline for a hunting camp operator to comply with permit requirements.