Opinion

Editor’s Column: The ink shall remain

We witnessed something interesting—and maybe a little disturbing—about the transient nature of social media this week.

Niki Turner
The Meeker Police Department posted a photo of one of the town’s “pet” deer before and after it was shot with an arrow by a careless, thoughtless individual last weekend, resulting in the animal’s death. Now, most folks around here hunt (or at least eat our weight in venison) and we decorate our homes and businesses with antlers and fur, but we also have a healthy reverence and respect for the life of those creatures, particularly the ones who take up residence in our yards. The post spurred immediate outrage.
Within a few hours, comments ran to threats and accusations, and that’s when things got ugly. The MPD received complaints about the post because it was “inciting threats” toward the culprit and the photo was “too graphic.” (I’m pretty sure whoever complained about it being too graphic doesn’t live here or is new to town and missed hunting season.) The police department took the post down Monday night.
And POOF. Every com­ment, every reaction, every share disappeared in an instant. Gone, as if they never existed. All that human emotion and mental turmoil and wrath and rage just evaporated in a millisecond. (If only we could do that with those holiday dinner arguments with the in-laws.)
The internet has given us the power to rewrite/revise history in an instant. That power, coupled with the current push to repeal the FCC’s net neutrality regulations and give control of the Internet to the highest bidders, should serve as a warning to us all: we can’t allow digital media to replace so-called “legacy” media like print newspapers and magazines and books. Why? Because, as my husband said recently, “The ink shall remain.”
Ink has a kind of staying power that digital media lacks. Once it’s in print, it’s in print. You can’t just hit “edit” or “delete” to change it or fix it. Trust me, I know.
Despite its inherent imperfections, we need to keep print (ink) alive in this era of social media. A society whose channels of information are under the control of a handful of organizations or corporations or administrations is a society in danger of being overrun. There’s a reason our country’s forefathers included freedom of the press in the First Amendment. They understood the power a truly free press has to harness tyranny and expose corruption.
Here’s a thought: Anyone can publish anything on the internet for free. They invest nothing. There’s no editing, no vetting, nothing required to prove validity and few consequences. Publishing something on paper comes with a cost. Lots of costs, actually, and it remains as a record for the future. We need that.

After much discussion and seeking wise and experienced counsel, starting next week the price of a copy of the paper will increase to $1. It’s the first increase in 25 years. The cost for subscriptions has increased as well (but there will be a much greater discount for subscribers than there has been in the past).
As a reminder, the increase is just to cover costs of printing and mailing and distribution. We’re just catching up with a few decades of inflation.
We’re also catching up to new technology and have invested in new software that will make our online edition searchable, linked and mobile and tablet friendly. That new feature will “go live” in the coming weeks and will continue to be free for a period of time so everyone can get used to it. At some point there will be a nominal fee for readers who only want access to the online edition. Our print subscribers will continue to have free access to the online edition.

There’s a surprise in this week’s edition for lovers of crossword and sudoku puzzles (not just in the kids’ page). It’s something I hope we can continue to find room for.

I’m a bit surprised by the silence from the west side of the county following correspondent Jen Hill’s editorial last week about Rangely’s interest in the paper.
I started working at the paper within a few months of the merger of the Rangely Times and the Meeker Herald into one countywide publication. I was privy to the constant gripes and grumbles about “no Rangely news” and “too much Rangely news” from both communities. We’re still hearing that, more than 15 years later and to be honest, it’s frustrating.
I’m wondering if the best option might be to separate the two papers again. Whether that is financially viable is questionable. Does the Rangely community want their own newspaper back enough to fund it financially? Has the Meeker community adapted to including its county sibling, or would it like to go back to being the Meeker Herald? From a financial standpoint, siblings don’t get their own rooms unless the family has enough resources to buy a bigger house.
If the majority of our audience appreciates having news from both ends of the county in one paper, we’ll leave things as they are (less work for us!). As I wrote in my first column more than a year ago, this isn’t “our” paper. It needs to serve the communities it reaches, and it needs to do that in a way that satisfies the majority. We’re always looking for ways to improve. Thoughts?

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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! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
  • 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.
  • 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
  • Read part three of the story of M.T. Streeter in this week’s edition of History Lessons! Find it in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
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  • Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.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.
7 hours ago
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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!
13 hours ago
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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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2 days ago
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
2 days ago
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Read part three of the story of M.T. Streeter in this week’s edition of History Lessons! Find it in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
Read part three of the story of M.T. Streeter in this week’s edition of History Lessons! Find it in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
3 days ago
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Meeker FFA Chapter members competed at the District Leadership Development Event in Craig, Colorado, this month. Top row from left to right: Eva Scritchfield, Charlie Rogers, Alan Rivera, Trent Sanders, Koy Weber, Orion Musser, Said Rodriguez, Carlos Carrillo, Aidan Tapia, Hayden Garcia, Tristan Rollins, Mathew Willey, Quentin Simpson. Middle row: Sidney Keetch, Aurora Stallings, Sydnie Ross, Ava Nay, Lili Piper, Leah Wood. Bottom Row: Jaicee Simmons, Kailynn Watson, Cody Richardson, Kayla Castillo, Braydin Raley, Autumn Stallings, Aimee Shults, Emily Hamm. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
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A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
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