Medicare open enrollment

Medicare open enrollment is here. Until Dec. 7, people can compare Medicare benefits for the next year and change their prescription drug plan, Medicare D, or Medicare Advantage Plan. Trained counselors from High Country RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) are available to help with free, unbiased assistance. Call High Country RSVP at 970-384-8744 and a volunteer will call to schedule an appointment.

Battlement Mesa Metro celebrates water plant’s solar array

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The Battlement Mesa Metro District, Sunsense Solar and Garfield Clean Energy will celebrate the installation of a solar array at the district’s water treatment plant with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at the plant, 850 Riverbluff Road in Battlement Mesa. Everyone is invited to attend.

The array of 1,422 solar panels will power 100 percent of the water treatment plant’s electric usage on an annual basis. It’s rated to generate nearly 700,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year — comparable to the electricity used in a year by 97 homes. Speakers for the ribbon-cutting include Metro District General Manager Steve Rippy, Metro District Board President Bill Nelson, Garfield County Commissioner Mike Samson, and Scott Ely, president of Sunsense Solar.

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Libraries closing for Thanksgiving Holiday

The Rifle, New Castle and Carbondale branch libraries will be closing early at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, in celebration of Thanksgiving. Then, all six branches of the Garfield County Libraries will be closed Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27. The libraries will reopen at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28.