County, Opinion

From My Window: Police shootings out of hand; welcome to our valuable OHV riders

Sean McMahon, Editor
Sean McMahon, Editor
All this gun violence is getting way out of hand, and my windows are getting foggier and foggier.
What must run through a person’s mind to enable the men and women doing this to kill another human being—black or white, male or female or police officer or fireman. I don’t understand it.
Doesn’t it register at all that the day will come when these people are going to pay for their actions—either now or when their life ends, and many of those deaths will likely be through violent means as well.

What’s the cause? Who knows? How will it get stopped? Who knows?
Gun control has nothing to do with it—and when will people ever realize that fact.
Most gun violence is committed with guns that were originally purchased legally. And anyone who thinks that a potential criminal who wants to get a gun to kill someone is going to care whether that gun is legal or not is nuts.
If a person wants a gun to use for deadly purposes, that person can find a gun some way.
But where is this black versus white blood flood coming from?
The police purposely killing blacks?
I just don’t think so.
I want to say it is being caused by foreign terrorists infiltrating black extremist groups.
But I don’t think so.
Is it coming from the black and white men and women reaching a point that they can stretch no more?
Maybe. I don’t claim to know. I don’t pretend to know. I don’t pretend to have my pulse on those folks who think it is OK to kill our fellow men and women regardless of color, race or party affiliation.
I don’t know, but my head has sure been doing a lot of shaking lately.

Welcome to the OHV riders who will be in Meeker for the next four days—numbering more than 100 riders plus family members, individuals, etc.
It is easy to note here that the Better Cities proposed programs for Rangely and Meeker entail turning Rio Blanco County into an outdoor/archery mecca to draw more visitors/residents and businesses into the county.
What better way to help do that and to kick off the programs than to turn Rio Blanco County into an OHV mecca as well?
The county is rapidly adding miles and miles to the list of roads and trails available here, and we already know that the motel/hotel owners and business owners are good hosts.
Let’s make these people feel really at home when they are here and the word will spread. The reputation will spread and Rio Blanco County will begin to pull in visitors certainly spring through fall instead of just one four-day weekend each year.
Places like Sedona, Ariz., which is not much bigger in size, run several profitable for-hire or guide-led OHV and Jeep rental businesses, and while they do have the red rocks in the immediate area, the terrain throughout Rio Blanco County is certainly as diverse and certainly more beautiful than that area around Sedona.
The OHV riders and visitors could well be the key to what it takes to get the word out about Rio Blanco County.
We have beautiful sights, we have great fishing, we have world-class hunting, we have beautiful mountain lakes and streams and up high we may even have snow year-around. That’s called something for everyone any time of year.
The Better Cities plan is great, but it is going to require millions of dollars and several years to see all the way to fruition.
OHV enthusiasts are here now and they are rapidly growing in number.
What better time to start than today, when more than 100 OHV enthusiasts converge on our county for four days, have a variety of plans established for the group as well as for Meeker residents, and prove that they can be a major asset and a major contributor to our economy.
Welcome to the OHV enthusiasts and may they find that Meeker means as much to them as they could mean to the Meeker area.
Welcome! Enjoy! Come back often!

Let’s also hope for some more precipitation in Rio Blanco County.
The Four-Mile Fire southeast of Rangely hit close to home. And the Denver news seems to be doing little but reporting on the fires near Walden, Cañon City and Nederland.
The mountains are indeed green. But the grasses are indeed dry.
Be particularly careful with any fires, be they campfires or open pit fires, and please don’t throw cigarettes out the window.
Rio Blanco County has been highly fortunate for the past three spring and summer fire seasons. Let’s continue to keep it that way and let’s continue to have a good, relaxed and enjoyable summer.

Comments are closed.

Come say hi!

@ht.1885
  • The Barone Middle School track team competed and placed well in the meet in West Grand last weekend. The eighth grade boys won the overall meet. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
  • The Meeker Preschool Roundup will be held this Friday, April 26th from 8am to 4pm!
  • Gear up for an unforgettable adventure with the 2024 Ride The Rockies Route, set to unfold from June 9th to 15th! Read all about this new and exciting adventure visiting Meeker this year in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
  • Rangely Panther Kobey Chism (#22) has been selected to play in the 2024 8-man football all-state game. He’s sponsored by the Bleed Green Lancaster #17 Foundation. Story at ht1885.com.
  • The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Rio Blanco Fire Protection District (RBFPD) will begin work on a firebreak northwest of the Town of Meeker this month. Read about it online at ht1885.com.
  • You can always find a reason to laugh... start with yourself. Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
  • The amount of money reported lost to fraud and scams in the United States nearly tripled from $3.5 billion in 2020 to $10 billion in 2023, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Learn the tricks to help protect yourself and your family in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
  • About 80 Meeker Elementary Students participated in the reading competition. Prizes were distributed according to the most minutes read by each student.  Story at ht1885.com.
The Barone Middle School track team competed and placed well in the meet in West Grand last weekend. The eighth grade boys won the overall meet. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
The Barone Middle School track team competed and placed well in the meet in West Grand last weekend. The eighth grade boys won the overall meet. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
5 hours ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
6 hours ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
The Meeker Preschool Roundup will be held this Friday, April 26th from 8am to 4pm!
The Meeker Preschool Roundup will be held this Friday, April 26th from 8am to 4pm!
9 hours ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
Gear up for an unforgettable adventure with the 2024 Ride The Rockies Route, set to unfold from June 9th to 15th! Read all about this new and exciting adventure visiting Meeker this year in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
Gear up for an unforgettable adventure with the 2024 Ride The Rockies Route, set to unfold from June 9th to 15th! Read all about this new and exciting adventure visiting Meeker this year in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
Rangely Panther Kobey Chism (#22) has been selected to play in the 2024 8-man football all-state game. He’s sponsored by the Bleed Green Lancaster #17 Foundation. Story at ht1885.com.
Rangely Panther Kobey Chism (#22) has been selected to play in the 2024 8-man football all-state game. He’s sponsored by the Bleed Green Lancaster #17 Foundation. Story at ht1885.com.
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Rio Blanco Fire Protection District (RBFPD) will begin work on a firebreak northwest of the Town of Meeker this month. Read about it online at ht1885.com.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Rio Blanco Fire Protection District (RBFPD) will begin work on a firebreak northwest of the Town of Meeker this month. Read about it online at ht1885.com.
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
You can always find a reason to laugh... start with yourself. Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
You can always find a reason to laugh... start with yourself. Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
The amount of money reported lost to fraud and scams in the United States nearly tripled from $3.5 billion in 2020 to $10 billion in 2023, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Learn the tricks to help protect yourself and your family in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
The amount of money reported lost to fraud and scams in the United States nearly tripled from $3.5 billion in 2020 to $10 billion in 2023, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Learn the tricks to help protect yourself and your family in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
About 80 Meeker Elementary Students participated in the reading competition. Prizes were distributed according to the most minutes read by each student.  Story at ht1885.com.
About 80 Meeker Elementary Students participated in the reading competition. Prizes were distributed according to the most minutes read by each student. Story at ht1885.com.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
9/9

Thank you, advertisers!