It’s time for the Year in Review 2022… and what a year it was…
The following snippets from 2022 in the HT are a brief peek behind the curtain of all that transpired during the last 12 months.
- The lead story from the first edition of the HT in January 2022 was the story of the closure of Meeker’s independent drugstore, Meeker Drugs. The closure, which occurred several months before a new retail pharmacy opened at Pioneers Medical Center, necessitated several months of configuring communication and transport between Rangely District Hospital’s pharmacy, the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office, RBC Public Health, and doctors at PMC for residents who can’t travel to pick up their prescriptions out of town.
- In February, RBC Commissioner Jeff Rector announced his intention to resign as soon as the Rio Blanco County Republican Party found his replacement. Rector formalized his resignation in April, and was replaced by Jennifer O’Hearon.
- Also in February, Colorado Parks and Wildlife trapped and relocated 40 turkeys that were dwelling in the town limits. The birds were banded before being transported to their new home up Milk Creek.
- Vietnam veteran Tom Kilduff, who passed away in 2021, was honored posthumously on the floor of the U.S. Congress by District 3 House Rep. Lauren Boebert.
- Rangely True Value was named Business of the Year by the Rangely Area Chamber of Commerce.
- The Meeker Cowboys were the 2A runner-up team at the Colorado State Wrestling Championships in Denver. Junior Judd Harvey pinned his championship round opponent in 3 minutes and 26 seconds to seal second place for the Meeker team.
- Giovanni’s restaurant changed hands from longtime owners Sandy and John Payne to Samantha Herrera, who is now operating the restaurant as Gio’s Family Dining.
- Solveig Olson retired from her role at Hopewest. Dr. Albert Krueger retired from Pioneers Medical Center. Bill Jordan retired from the WREA Board after 33 years of service.
- Travis Mobley was named undersheriff for Rio Blanco County.
- In April, intense winds took down multiple large pine trees, peeled roofs off sheds and rolled a trampoline all the way down Main St. in Meeker.
- U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper made a stop in Meeker to hear from constituents and visited the White River Museum.
- In May, voters approved a mill levy increase for the Western Rio Blanco Metropolicatin Recreation and Park District. John Strate (incumbent), Kim Kindall and Vicky Edwards were elected to the Eastern Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation and Park District Board, and J.H. Sheridan, Wade Bradfield, and Jeff Eskelson were elected to the Eastern Rio Blanco Health Service District Board.
- Also in May, Ginny Love defeated sitting commissioner Gary Moyer in the first recall election in recent memory in Rio Blanco County.
- Klark Kindler was named 2A athletic director of the year by the Colorado Ahtletic Directors Association, with 24 years of leadership as the head boys basketball coach and seven years as athletic director at Meeker High School.
- Rangely Jr./Sr. High School welcomed new principal Chris Miller.
- Another round of road construction on Hwy. 13 between Meeker and Rifle got underway in June. The project is expected to be completed in November 2023.
- Meeker Sweet Shop hosted the first annual Car Shows and ‘50s Theme Day downtown.
- The closure of the county jail in November 2021 was estimated to save the county $500K over the course of a year.
- In an unusually competitive primary election, Sheriff Anthony Mazzola (incumbent) defeated Rangely Police Sergeant Richard Garner’s bid to oust Mazzola from office. Ginny Love was defeated in her race to hold on to the District 1 Commissioner’s seat by Doug Overton.
- Rangely’s Hoot Gibson retired from his role as one of the county’s veterans service officers.
- Corbin Lucero was the three-peat champion at the Rio Blanco County Fair with Grand Champion Market Steer.
- The Pioneers Dinner and Dance returned for its 110th year with a 1950s theme.
- The third annual Meeker Mustang Makeover was a rousing success
- RBC voters returned to the polls AGAIN in November, casting ballots along predictable party lines.
- Smoking River Brewing Co. hosted it’s second annual Oktoberfest celebration, complete with a hot sausage eating contest.
- Portions of Meeker’s downtown were evacuated after the Pumpkins, Eats & Treats event due to a natural gas leak. The leak was located and repaired within a day or so, thanks to multiple cooperating agencies
- The Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District issued a call on the White River, the first of its kind, with potentially far-reaching impacts for water users upstream of Kenney Reservoir. River flows have decreased and are not producing enough water for the hydroelectric plant at Taylor Draw Dam near Rangely.
- Local rancher Lenny Klinglesmith reported possible wolf depredation earlier this year. As of December, the incidents — resulting the loss of more than 40 cattle — were still under investigation, even as the state issued its draft plan for wolf reintroduction to northwest Colorado. CPW officials deemed the case “perplexing.”
- Gus and Christine Halandras were named Citizens of the Year by the Meeker Chamber of Commerce for their decades of service, dedication and devotion to the community.
By HT STAFF
