Dear Editor,
It seems to me that before we think of building a new school that will cost $24 million, we should take care of some old responsibilities we have.
For one, our school bus garage built in 1950 needs a lot of attention and repairs and has for years, at least the 12 years I’ve been here. It’s where our school system starts, but it is very neglected. They say our budget can’t afford a new bus this year so we bought a used one. That still leaves us with a bus that has 250,000 miles on it that we have to use every day.
We also can’t get new school bus drivers because of wages and no benefits, let alone keeping the ones we have.
With the prices of gasoline at a national average of $3.67 and ours went down from $4.28 to $4.19 — unreal! Let alone our groceries and rent in town, who are we really hurting? So sad what Meeker allowed themselves to become in the name of money and greed. Before all the oil wells came in, Meeker was a proud town who used to be caring and helpful to everyone.
Charlotte Kurzeika
Meeker
Dear Editor,
The Rangely Museum would like to thank everyone for braving the rain and coming out to the ice cream social, Sunday, Aug. 31. We had five entries in the ice cream contest. Our first-place winner was Kari Way with peach cobbler; she received a check for $125. Our second-place winner was Beth Scoggins with chocolate mint; she received a check for $75. Our third-place winner was James Scoggins with vanilla marshmallow; he received a check for $50. We had two honorable mention prizes of a Rangely Museum mug and T-shirt, which went to Debra Skaggs with vanilla strawberry and Chris Jantzen with Palisade peach crisp. Thank you so much for participating. Please remember to enter again next year.
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped out or donated to this event. We would not have a social without your help. Thank you Bud and W.C. Striegel for your generous donation of $250 for the contest prizes and sending a crew to fix our large museum sign. We really appreciate it. Thank you bunches, Loyann and Jerry Hayes for getting all the supplies needed to put on this event. Cheryl Robertson for her donation for all those extra expenses and manning the table to sell jail cards and merchandise. White River Market for its donation of all the ice cream. I hope you know how much this was appreciated. The Elks Club for donating all the ice for the coolers. The Burrito Express for letting us use one of its umbrellas to help keep the sheriff dry. Thank you to “The Rangely Jems” for entertaining us; Jana Wright, Elaine Urie and Marta Estes — you are wonderful. Thank you to our illustrious judges: Jackie Fortunato, Bec and Ken Hahn and Roger Reed. I’m sure they enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you to Norm Hall Sr., for once again being our sheriff and putting up with the “wild bunch.” Thank you Roland Hopson and Tyrell Thomas for standing in as deputies at the last minute, also for helping set up/tear down, getting ice and hauling ice cream from the freezer. Thank you to Dan Fiscus for doing all the announcing and helping out. Thanks to our servers and set up/tear down helpers, Briana Bromley and Krystal Hopson. We could not have done it without you. Thank you also to Pat Hejl for handling everything indoors. You have all made it possible to put on this fun event.
The museum hours for fall, beginning Sept. 5 are Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. We will be open through Oct. 12. Please come and check us out. We have three buildings full of history along with other displays beside the walk path. For information, please call (970) 675-2612. Special tours can be arranged.
Brenda Hopson, director
The Rangely Outdoor Museum
Citizens of Rio Blanco County,
It is with great excitement that after 17 years with the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s office, I have decided to leave office. Our 9th Judicial District Attorney, Martin Beeson, has created a new position beginning Sept. 8 for an investigator designed to serve Rio Blanco County, and I accepted the position with the knowledge that I will be able to continue to work for the citizens of Rio Blanco County. Since the new position is based out the Meeker office, I will have the opportunity to assist all the agencies in Rio Blanco County including the Rangely Police Department, Meeker Police Department and the RBC Sheriff’s office. This decision does not affect my long-term goals in law enforcement and I look forward to the new challenges that lie ahead. Thank you family, friends and citizens of Rio Blanco County for your tremendous support throughout this transition.
Anthony Mazzola
Meeker
Dear Editor,
As parents of Meeker Elementary School children, we are writing this letter in support of the upcoming bond issue to build a new elementary school. In the last several years the staff and students at Meeker Elementary School have had to deal with leaking roofs, flooding basements, inadequate storage space and overcrowded classrooms, just to name a few. We believe our students and teachers deserve better. Since the school was built in 1933, this district has done its best to maintain and improve the school, but as building codes have changed during the years it has become increasingly difficult for the district to make costly improvements. The time of putting on Band-Aids must come to end. In addition, with an increasing number of students, we have simply outgrown our little school — space is limited! We, as parents, feel it is time to give our kids, and the people who teach them, a school in which they can be proud of and feel safe! These children are our future community leaders
Sincerely,
Members of the
Meeker Elementary PTO
