County, Meeker, Stories

Neilson is state 4-H president

phmkmorganneilson3MEEKER I Morgan Neilson isn’t afraid to aim high.
The senior-to-be at Meeker High School set her sights on becoming the state 4-H president.
Mission accomplished.
Neilson, 17, was elected to 4-H’s highest office at the state conference in June at Colorado State University. She was one of three candidates vying for the position.
As part of the process, she had to give a speech, design a campaign poster and participate in an on-stage interview before her fellow 4-H’ers. Each of the three candidates took their turn answering questions, but they couldn’t hear the other candidates’ answers.
When the interviews were over, the three candidates waited by themselves for the votes to be cast.
“We made some small talk, but we were so nervous,” Neilson said.
Finally, after the votes were counted, Neilson was declared the winner.
“I was so excited, I was shaking,” she said. “It was pretty cool.”
Mary Strang, Meeker School Board president and local rancher, said Neilson being elected state 4-H president was a big honor.
“This is a significant achievement and one which hasn’t been earned by a Meeker candidate since Tony Seely served back in the ’80s,” Strang said. “Morgan is an outstanding student leader in school and 4-H and a super kid.”
Later that night, after the election, Neilson was officially inducted, with the outgoing president presenting her with a candle — sort of a passing of the torch — and words of advice.
“He said, ‘Life is 10 percent what happens to you, and 90 percent of how you react,” Neilson said.
Neilson reacted in typical fashion — she was ready to go to work.
As the new state 4-H president, she hopes to use the platform to encourage more youth to become involved in the program.
“I think it’s an opportunity to grow and get more kids involved in 4-H,” she said. “This way, I can impact kids to get involved. I like just helping out (younger 4-H’ers) and encouraging them, even if they don’t win. A lot of it is like mentoring; you don’t realize the people you impact.”
Neilson, the oldest daughter of Paul and Renae Neilson, has been involved in 4-H for about 10 years. She’s also involved in FFA, serving as chapter and district president.
“I’ve been showing sheep since I was 8,” said Neilson, who was District 11 president last year and secretary of the state board.
Raising sheep runs in her family.
Her grandfather — Nick Theos — is a longtime Rio Blanco County sheep rancher.
“My grandpa, my mom’s dad, has a big herd of sheep,” Neilson said.
Neilson has also shown pigs at the county fair. While she does both — show sheep and pigs — she likes showing sheep better.
“Lambs have more personality, but pigs are cool, too. The difference is, pigs do what they want, and sheep do what you want them to do, or at least some of them do,” Neilson said. “Sometimes they all have a mind of their own.”
The Neilson girls — Morgan and her younger sister, Taylor — started showing pigs last year at Taylor’s suggestion.
“My sister wanted to show pigs,” Morgan said. “Since she did, I decided to, too.”
Morgan won her pig showmanship class at last year’s Rio Blanco County 4-H Fair.
“That was exciting, because we didn’t expect that,” she said.
The two sisters work together taking care of the animals and getting them ready for the fair.
“We spend a ton of time together with the animals in the summer,” Morgan said.
Last year, Taylor won the Grand Champion Market Lamb at the 4-H fair, and Morgan had won the title the two years prior to that.
“I won it back-to-back years,” Morgan said. “Hopefully we can keep it in the family (this year).”
Even though she will be a senior at MHS, Morgan will have one more year to compete in 4-H.
“I’m 17, but I’m 16 in 4-H years, because my birthday was seven days after the (Jan. 1) cutoff,” she said. “So, the year after I graduate, I can show again.”
Morgan hasn’t decided yet what college she’ll attend — Texas A&M, Kansas State, Colorado State University and Cal Poly are among the schools she’s considering.
Besides her 4-H duties, Morgan will be president of the MHS Student Council. She likes being in leadership positions.
“It’s my favorite thing, I think,” said Morgan, who is a National Honor Society member and plays volleyball and basketball. “I like organizing stuff and planning everything, and then watching how it turns out.”
As president, she will be in charge of planning the 4-H conferences, including the state meeting.
This summer, Morgan attended an FFA national leadership conference this summer in Washington, D.C. It was her first visit to the nation’s capitol and her first experience seeing how the political system operates.
“I would love to go back and work there someday,” she said. “I think that would be neat. It would be neat to be a congressman or a senator.
“Or the president,” she added.

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  • It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
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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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor 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.
  • Black Sulphur Tavern held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for their new business at 364 Seventh St. The space has been renovated with several TVs and games and provides a fun, friendly atmosphere to watch your favorite sports team and enjoy a burger and wings. Owners Frank Maestas and Pat Maestas are pictured with their new staff and Chamber of Commerce representatives Stephanie Hanson, Trudy Burri and Margie Joy. Follow Black Sulphur Tavern on Facebook. Their hours are Wednesday and Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3 p.m. - 1 a.m., Saturday 11-1 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
  • The winning teams and individuals for the 18th annual White River Community Association Buy-Fly Fishing Tournament are as follows. Individual top weight catch was Dave Metrovich and longest fish was Kevin Massey. First place team won by Rio Blanco Abstract: Erik Eckman, Adam Parrett, Dave Metrovich and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Second place team was Drake Consulting: Travis Kaiser, John Douglas, Tony Bartolomucci and Bob Brandeberry. Third place team Mr. Rogers and the Hood (accepted by Doug Rogers) Gary Rogers, Mark Beauchamp, Kyle Schutte and Rick Gunter. The white fish have been frozen and will be served at the annual White River Community Association fish fry fundraiser in June.
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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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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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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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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