Opinion

{Editor’s Column} Democracy: Participation required

Niki Turner
First off, congratulations to the newly elected members and reelected incumbents of the fire district board, the rec center board and the hospital board. Voter turnout for this combined special district election was higher than the voter turnout for the town election in April. That’s excellent news, and hopefully a trend in the right direction.
The next opportunity we have to participate in our democratic process will take place in June with the party primaries. For the first time this year in Colorado independent voters will be allowed to vote in the primary elections, which is a big plus for independents in counties where the only opportunity to vote for a local candidate is in the primaries.
In the county commissioner race in RBC, for example, two Republicans are running, Gary Moyer will be on the ballot and Mike Hoke is a write-in candidate (meaning if you want to vote for him, you’ll have to write in his name when you get your ballot). If no independent candidates step up by the July deadline to run in the general election (or decides to run as a write-in independent), our next county commissioner will be decided in June, not in November.

If you regularly access our online edition, or just click through articles on the website, you’ll notice a new “soft paywall” for non-subscribers. We’ll still offer a limited number of free articles each month, but after that, we’re asking our online-only readers to subscribe for online access. For existing print subscribers, online access is included in your print subscription, but we’ll need your email address to add you to the database.
Why? Well, I’ve realized we can’t give away our only product for free and expect to survive. Our product is local news, and we have to pay people to report that news and take those pictures. What we’re asking our online-only readers to do is to support local journalism, the same way print subscribers and single copy readers have always done and continue to do. It’s only fair. In the now immortal words of Bartles & Jaymes (dating myself, I know), “Thank you for your support.” We’re working hard to cover more events, more meetings and get local community news to you.
If you’re a print subscriber, please call the office at 878-4017 or email [email protected] so we can add you to the online subscriber list.

Graduation season kicked off last weekend with CNCC’s commencement exercises, and continues with both county high schools in the next few weeks. It’s an exciting time of year, and a busy one. We’ll be doing our “grad pages” for the high schools again. Rangely’s will be next week, so Rangely parents are urged to call or email the office ASAP to get those congrats ads in for your graduates. Call 878-4017 or [email protected] no later than Monday at 5 p.m.!

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  • There will be three cannon test shots fired downtown on Friday, May 3 as a test run for the 4th of July. For more information on the cannon itself, visit https://www.theheraldtimes.com/the-sound-of-history-come-to-life/meeker/
  • As the saying goes, "Small towns are the natural habitat of the drama llama."
  • Feel like you're always "putting out fires" instead of doing the important things? https://www.theheraldtimes.com/editors-column-differentiating-the-urgent-from-the-important/opinion/
  • A Celebration of Life will be held by the family "when the weather warms up and the work is all done this spring," according to Kay's wishes.
  • Three finalists for county administrator were interviewed by the commissioners last Tuesday. https://www.theheraldtimes.com/commissioners-interview-administrator-candidates/rio-blanco-county/
  • The RBC Livestock Judging team competed in Sterling. https://www.theheraldtimes.com/rbc-livestock-judging-team-earns-multiple-awards-in-sterling/rio-blanco-county/
  • MHS Drama presented "Emma: A Pop Musical" for its spring performance in April, to rave reviews. https://www.theheraldtimes.com/another-stellar-performance-by-mhs-drama-program/meeker/
16 hours ago
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1/9
There will be three cannon test shots fired downtown on Friday, May 3 as a test run for the 4th of July. For more information on the cannon itself, visit https://www.theheraldtimes.com/the-sound-of-history-come-to-life/meeker/
There will be three cannon test shots fired downtown on Friday, May 3 as a test run for the 4th of July. For more information on the cannon itself, visit https://www.theheraldtimes.com/the-sound-of-history-come-to-life/meeker/
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
As the saying goes, "Small towns are the natural habitat of the drama llama."
As the saying goes, "Small towns are the natural habitat of the drama llama."
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
Feel like you're always "putting out fires" instead of doing the important things? https://www.theheraldtimes.com/editors-column-differentiating-the-urgent-from-the-important/opinion/
Feel like you're always "putting out fires" instead of doing the important things? https://www.theheraldtimes.com/editors-column-differentiating-the-urgent-from-the-important/opinion/
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
A Celebration of Life will be held by the family "when the weather warms up and the work is all done this spring," according to Kay's wishes.
A Celebration of Life will be held by the family "when the weather warms up and the work is all done this spring," according to Kay's wishes.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
Three finalists for county administrator were interviewed by the commissioners last Tuesday. https://www.theheraldtimes.com/commissioners-interview-administrator-candidates/rio-blanco-county/
Three finalists for county administrator were interviewed by the commissioners last Tuesday. https://www.theheraldtimes.com/commissioners-interview-administrator-candidates/rio-blanco-county/
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
The RBC Livestock Judging team competed in Sterling. https://www.theheraldtimes.com/rbc-livestock-judging-team-earns-multiple-awards-in-sterling/rio-blanco-county/
The RBC Livestock Judging team competed in Sterling. https://www.theheraldtimes.com/rbc-livestock-judging-team-earns-multiple-awards-in-sterling/rio-blanco-county/
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
MHS Drama presented "Emma: A Pop Musical" for its spring performance in April, to rave reviews. https://www.theheraldtimes.com/another-stellar-performance-by-mhs-drama-program/meeker/
MHS Drama presented "Emma: A Pop Musical" for its spring performance in April, to rave reviews. https://www.theheraldtimes.com/another-stellar-performance-by-mhs-drama-program/meeker/
6 days ago
View on Instagram |
9/9

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