Opinion

From My Window: Great election; go see the Wizard

Sean McMahon, Editor
Sean McMahon, Editor
What an election day Tuesday was! Two town elections with 15 candidates seeking a total of six seats on the town councils in Rangely and Meeker. Each town had three open seats, but Rangely had 10 candidates seeking election and Meeker had five candidates seeking three seats.
It is good to see several candidates on the ballots as it has been more common in recent elections to barely find enough candidates to fill the ballot.

First, congratulations to Regas Halandras in Meeker and Joseph Nielsen in Rangely. Both men will be those towns’ mayors, and both ran unopposed. That tends to say the towns’ voters were happy with their single candidates and that the residents of the two towns felt these two gents couldn’t be defeated at the ballot box.
It goes to their credit, too, that in a lot of candidates for city and county seats said they were running to “give the voters a choice.”
Congratulations also are extended to Travis Day, Wendy Gutierrez and Melissa Kindall, who are the newly re-elected (Travis Day) or elected members of the Meeker Town Board.
Likewise in Rangely, congrats go out to Andy Key, Trey Robie and Tyson Hacking, who will be filling the seats on the Rangely Town Council.
And while congratulations may not be in order, certainly thanks and a vote of appreciation go to the candidates who did not win as the selections in both towns were good. Elections are always better when there is a selection.
Both towns are looking at a challenge with the local economies not enjoying the best of financial times. The challenge is there to open up the thought processes and come up with innovative ways to look at the future.
Good luck to both councils and both mayors, and we all look forward to visible progress at both ends of the county.

I am excited to see the Meeker High School Drama Club planning a production of “The Wizard of Oz.”
“The Wizard of Oz” is a true favorite and it contains what I consider to be one of my two all-time favorite songs with Judy Garland’s “Over the Rainbow.” (The other being Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.”)
These two great songs make you feel great about life.
Anyway, don’t miss “The Wizard of Oz” next weekend at MHS.

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  • On April 4, the Meeker Lions Club installed new shelving units for the New Eden Pregnancy Care Center. New Eden asked the Lion’s Club to help them come up with more storage for items within the building, and the Lion’s Club raised money to purchase shelves. OPAL MUNGER PHOTO
  • Why are we all so mad? Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
  • Livestock Judging teams from both sides of the county competed at The Rumble In The Rockies Livestock Judging Contest in La Plata County this past weekend. Read the full story this week online ht1885.com.
  • Meeker Cowboy Track continued its season with another meet in Grand Junction, the Frank Woodburn Invitational. The meet went on despite the blustery winds, low temps and snow. Read the story online at ht1885.com.
  • Sunglasses, shorts and snowflakes... if that doesn’t sum up a Western Colorado track meet in April, nothing does. The Rangely Panthers will likely have a warmer meet this Friday, April 12, in Grand Junction. Read the recap from the last meet in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
  • Meeker High School’s FCCLA group placed 10 of 13 students in the top three in their respective categories and six qualified for the national competition in Seattle, Washington, this June. Results: Sam Hightower and Finley Deming - 1st Place Gold - Repurpose and Redesign; Aimee Shults - 1st Place Gold - Job Interview; Becca Hood - 1st Place Gold - Leadership; Lissbeth Sanchez and Shailee Rundberg -  2nd Place Gold - Promote and Publicize FCCLA; Kailynn Watson- 3rd Place Gold - Job Interview; Emma Bauer and Jacey Follman - 3rd Place Gold - Sports Nutrition; Braydin Raley - 3rd Place Silver - Professional Presentation; Graycee Cravens - Silver Medal - Entrepreneurship; Haylee Steele - Silver Medal - Sports Nutrition; Eduardo Cordova- Silver Medal - Career Investigation. More photos and full update online at ht1885.com.
  • The Mountain Valley Bank Red Letter Day Coin Drive is in full swing! Donate your pennies to your favorite business this week to help them win! Proceeds go to HopeWest Meeker and the Meeker Education Foundation.
  • Smokey Bear and Ranger Kate with the United States Forest Service Blanco District stopped by the Meeker Public Library last Friday to share Smokey’s origin story and information about wildfire prevention with a room full of kids. Smokey Bear will turn 80 this year in August. NIKI TURNER PHOTO
On April 4, the Meeker Lions Club installed new shelving units for the New Eden Pregnancy Care Center. New Eden asked the Lion’s Club to help them come up with more storage for items within the building, and the Lion’s Club raised money to purchase shelves. OPAL MUNGER PHOTO
On April 4, the Meeker Lions Club installed new shelving units for the New Eden Pregnancy Care Center. New Eden asked the Lion’s Club to help them come up with more storage for items within the building, and the Lion’s Club raised money to purchase shelves. OPAL MUNGER PHOTO
22 hours ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
Why are we all so mad? Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
Why are we all so mad? Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
Livestock Judging teams from both sides of the county competed at The Rumble In The Rockies Livestock Judging Contest in La Plata County this past weekend. Read the full story this week online ht1885.com.
Livestock Judging teams from both sides of the county competed at The Rumble In The Rockies Livestock Judging Contest in La Plata County this past weekend. Read the full story this week online ht1885.com.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
Meeker Cowboy Track continued its season with another meet in Grand Junction, the Frank Woodburn Invitational. The meet went on despite the blustery winds, low temps and snow. Read the story online at ht1885.com.
Meeker Cowboy Track continued its season with another meet in Grand Junction, the Frank Woodburn Invitational. The meet went on despite the blustery winds, low temps and snow. Read the story online at ht1885.com.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
Sunglasses, shorts and snowflakes... if that doesn’t sum up a Western Colorado track meet in April, nothing does. The Rangely Panthers will likely have a warmer meet this Friday, April 12, in Grand Junction. Read the recap from the last meet in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
Sunglasses, shorts and snowflakes... if that doesn’t sum up a Western Colorado track meet in April, nothing does. The Rangely Panthers will likely have a warmer meet this Friday, April 12, in Grand Junction. Read the recap from the last meet in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
Meeker High School’s FCCLA group placed 10 of 13 students in the top three in their respective categories and six qualified for the national competition in Seattle, Washington, this June. Results: Sam Hightower and Finley Deming - 1st Place Gold - Repurpose and Redesign; Aimee Shults - 1st Place Gold - Job Interview; Becca Hood - 1st Place Gold - Leadership; Lissbeth Sanchez and Shailee Rundberg -  2nd Place Gold - Promote and Publicize FCCLA; Kailynn Watson- 3rd Place Gold - Job Interview; Emma Bauer and Jacey Follman - 3rd Place Gold - Sports Nutrition; Braydin Raley - 3rd Place Silver - Professional Presentation; Graycee Cravens - Silver Medal - Entrepreneurship; Haylee Steele - Silver Medal - Sports Nutrition; Eduardo Cordova- Silver Medal - Career Investigation. More photos and full update online at ht1885.com.
Meeker High School’s FCCLA group placed 10 of 13 students in the top three in their respective categories and six qualified for the national competition in Seattle, Washington, this June. Results: Sam Hightower and Finley Deming - 1st Place Gold - Repurpose and Redesign; Aimee Shults - 1st Place Gold - Job Interview; Becca Hood - 1st Place Gold - Leadership; Lissbeth Sanchez and Shailee Rundberg - 2nd Place Gold - Promote and Publicize FCCLA; Kailynn Watson- 3rd Place Gold - Job Interview; Emma Bauer and Jacey Follman - 3rd Place Gold - Sports Nutrition; Braydin Raley - 3rd Place Silver - Professional Presentation; Graycee Cravens - Silver Medal - Entrepreneurship; Haylee Steele - Silver Medal - Sports Nutrition; Eduardo Cordova- Silver Medal - Career Investigation. More photos and full update online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
The Mountain Valley Bank Red Letter Day Coin Drive is in full swing! Donate your pennies to your favorite business this week to help them win! Proceeds go to HopeWest Meeker and the Meeker Education Foundation.
The Mountain Valley Bank Red Letter Day Coin Drive is in full swing! Donate your pennies to your favorite business this week to help them win! Proceeds go to HopeWest Meeker and the Meeker Education Foundation.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
Smokey Bear and Ranger Kate with the United States Forest Service Blanco District stopped by the Meeker Public Library last Friday to share Smokey’s origin story and information about wildfire prevention with a room full of kids. Smokey Bear will turn 80 this year in August. NIKI TURNER PHOTO
Smokey Bear and Ranger Kate with the United States Forest Service Blanco District stopped by the Meeker Public Library last Friday to share Smokey’s origin story and information about wildfire prevention with a room full of kids. Smokey Bear will turn 80 this year in August. NIKI TURNER PHOTO
5 days ago
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