County

Help is now available for home weatherization

RBC I Fall is definitely in the air and thoughts are turning to getting ready for winter. Now is the perfect time to make your home as energy efficient as it can be—to keep your family warm and to save money on your heating bills.
Eligibility for the program is based on income levels. Counties served are: Rio Blanco, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Lake, Moffat, Pitkin, Routt and Summit.

The designation is intended to raise the awareness about the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), instituted in 1976, to provide assistance to low-income families for making energy-efficient improvements to their homes.
Created by the US Department of Energy, the mission of the WAP is geared to reduce costs and reduce energy usage for low income families, particularly seniors, people with disabilities and families with young children.
In our area, the weatherization program is administered by the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (NWCCOG), under contract to the Colorado Energy Office (CEO).
Doug Jones, the weatherization field supervisor at the NWCCOG puts it this way, “Our job is to help people save energy, save money and save the environment by making homes more energy efficient and safer.”
Once a home has been selected for the program, a qualified weatherization professional tests for gas leaks and carbon monoxide levels, followed by a comprehensive energy audit to find out what energy conservation services would be most beneficial to the home.
Services may include installing insulation to bring levels up to current standards, sealing major air leaks, caulking windows and doors, adding weather-stripping, installing storm windows and perhaps even installing new high-efficiency furnaces and refrigerators.
Once the work is complete, the team then retests for gas leaks and carbon monoxide. The result is a home that is much more energy efficient and also safe for its inhabitants.
Beyond the efficiencies in energy consumption, weatherization also contributes to the economy. By reducing a household’s energy use and heating costs, these families have more income available to spend within their local communities. Additionally, the weatherization process has helped to preserve precious affordable housing units in our area.
The best part about this program is that there is no cost to the recipients.
If you think you, or someone you know, might qualify for weatherization services, please call 1-800-332-3669 or check out our website: nwccog.org—Weatherization.
The Weatherization team is actively seeking eligible homes in all counties for the program.

By Nate Speerstra
Special to the Herald Times

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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  • It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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