Good morning, Grand Junction.

This summer, 100 golfers competed in the third annual Andy Smith Memorial Golf Tournament hosted by Orchard Mesa Cruisers to raise $13,800 for a scholarship endowment now at $89,697 at Colorado Mesa University (open to Mesa County students who have shown resilience).

The American Red Cross of Western Colorado has shared 10 back-to-school safety steps for families as classes resume.

The guidance advises teaching kids personal info, safe pedestrian behavior, proper bus wait and bike helmet use, seatbelt protocols, and avoiding distracted driving (no texting, calling, eating, or drinking).

Colorado borrowers face rising challenges with federal student loan defaults as roughly 765,000 people in the state owe $30 billion amid resumption of payments following a pandemic pause (averaging about $39,000 per borrower) and federal aid offers options for relief.

Two attorneys from Veritas Law Firm were named to bar leadership roles; Joseph Azbell became president of the Mesa County Bar Association and Keller Caubarreaux was chosen as Region Six vice president of the Colorado Bar Association (boosting legal representation for the Western Slope).

Garfield County commissioners ask other communities, organizations, and donors to help close a $1.7 million funding gap for the Shoshone hydroelectric water rights purchase from Xcel Energy.

The Colorado River Water Conservation District works to secure the $99 million deal (protecting Western Slope water flows for future generations).

Today, a Colorado Health Institute report shows that 1 in 8 insured Coloradans cannot get needed care because of high costs, and nearly 6,000 more Mesa County residents are underinsured, rising from 7.7% to 12.2% since 2013 (17.7% statewide in 2025).

Policymakers may need to improve affordable coverage options.