County

County: Courthouse, Rangely expansion top priority for this year

RBC I In 2014, Rio Blanco County will implement a number of projects to update several county facilities and services.
“There are several projects planned throughout the year,” stated Eric Jaquez, the county’s planning coordinator. “I think the residents will be pleased with the improvements.”
The Courthouse Renovation and Expansion Project will be in full swing in 2014, with project completion expected in 2015.
In November 2013, Reilly Johnson was selected as the architectural firm on the project, and company officials have been meeting with the courts, sheriff’s staff and other users of the building to gain a full understanding of current and future needs.
The architects are currently working on a conceptual design, and the commissioners have requested that the conceptual design meet four key criteria:
Develop a plan that will bring the sheriff’s offices, judges’ chambers, district and county courts, and the detention center into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and current state regulations; create an environment for the historical downtown square of Meeker that will encourage economic traffic, while maintaining and enhancing a public gathering area that can be utilized for various events including concerts, community celebrations, and more; produce an architectural design that fits the flavor of the current downtown buildings; and take into consideration the historical value of, and explore possibly repurposing the old Meeker Elementary School building.
In Rangely, two county departments will be relocating to offer residents more centralized access to services.
The Health and Human Services staff will move from Rangely Town Hall to their own building at 101 E. Main, west of the Rangely Library, (formerly the Rio Blanco Realty Building).
“In the new location, Health and Human Services will have more space, and, more importantly, will be able to provide additional client privacy,” Jaquez said.
The second part of centralizing services is to relocate the Rangely office of the county clerk office, currently housed at the West Annex Building, into the Rangely Town Hall, filling the vacancy left by Health and Humans Services.
This will locate the county clerk’s services and health and human services in the same city block, making it easier for citizens to utilize their services.
“We hope bringing these offices into the center of Rangely will make the services more accessible and convenient for our residents,” Jaquez said.
In the spring of 2014, construction on public restrooms and showers will begin at Columbine Park on the east end of Rangely. Columbine Park hosts many 4-H, livestock and equine events but has been limited in recruiting more events due to the limited facilities. Additional services at Columbine Park may yield an economic impact through various events and additional utilization of the park.
The fairgrounds in Meeker will receive several upgrades and maintenance improvements throughout the year. The parking area around the 4-H building will be paved and drainage will be improved. The grandstands will also receive upgrades, including painting and bringing the electrical system into compliance with state code.
This year will also be a key year for further development of the Wagon Wheel OHV Trails. Utilizing awarded grant funds, there are three primary objectives: a) complete the Wagon Wheel Trails System signage and educational kiosk installation at trailheads; b) make improvements to various parking areas; and c) connect the trail system to the Town of Meeker by constructing a multi-use trail running from School Street, paralleling State Highway 13, and connecting to County Road 8.
The county has initiated the Rio Blanco County Trails Master Planning process, which will determine the feasibility and next steps in expanding recreational opportunities, including off-highway vehicle recreation, snowmobiling, hiking, mountain biking activities and more.
The existing Wagon Wheel OHV Trail System currently consists of approximately 250 miles of trails easily accessed from Meeker. The focus of the master plan is to extend connectivity throughout Rio Blanco County and Northwest Colorado, while expanding the trail system onto federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, further incorporating the western side of Rio Blanco County.
“All of the projects planned for 2014 will increase services, provide potential for economic contribution or offer improved safety for RBC residents and visitors” Jaquez said.

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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.
  • 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.
  • 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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  • It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
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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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View on Instagram |
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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
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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