MEEKER | The Meeker Board of Trustees voted 5-1 on July 21 to direct town staff to draft an encroachment agreement and revocable license that could allow adjoining property owners to use the planned Robert Street-Sanderson Drive emergency connector for private access. Trustee Charles Day opposed the motion. The decision[Read More…]
Author: Caitlin Walker
EDITOR’S COLUMN – Contradictions
“Life zips by and next thing you know, you’re laying in a hospital bed.” ~ Grandpa Sam I spent the last few days in St. Mary’s Hospital with my grandfather. In trying to maintain my sanity, I wrote quite a bit. I’m sharing some of those reflections here this week.[Read More…]
BLOODMOBILE
Lots of community members showed up to donate at the blood drive organized by Meeker Public Library last Tuesday. Some residents who were eager to help had to be turned away because all appointments filled up. Vitalant will be back in mid-September, so if you did not get to donate[Read More…]
History in jeopardy?
Advocates say proposed changes to Section 106 may weaken protections for historic places RBC | A proposed rewrite of the federal rules used to review projects that may affect historic places is raising concerns among preservation groups in Colorado. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation voted July 24 to move[Read More…]
Keystone Fire contained at 3,000 acres
MEEKER | The Colorado Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) reported the Keystone Fire northwest of Meeker was 95% contained at the start of this week. The IMT has returned the incident to local control The fire was caused by lightning and started within the 2018 Indian Valley Fire burn[Read More…]
From the Front Lines: Inside the fight against the PL Gulch Fire
RBC | When the PL Gulch Fire was first reported Monday, July 13, some residents feared they were about to watch history repeat itself. The human-caused blaze ignited north of County Road 5, just outside last year’s Lee Fire burn scar, prompting evacuation orders, road closures, and concerns that Rio[Read More…]
EDITOR’S COLUMN – First rodeos
“Courage is being scared to death, and saddling up anyway.” ~ John Wayne Hoo boy, y’all. I keep saying I knew what I was getting myself into, and I thought, truly, that I did. I’ve been in and out of the newspaper office since I was 12 years old! Apparently,[Read More…]
IMT wraps up the 3,000-acre Keystone Fire
This is a developing story and will be updated. Update Monday, July 27. Key Message: The fire is now 95% contained. Command will be transferred to a local Type 4 organization tonight at 7:00 p.m. Update Friday, July 24. The fire is now 69% contained. Update Thursday, July 23, 12:45[Read More…]
Update: PL Gulch Fire containment lines holding, no new growth for 48 hours
This is a developing story ad will be updated. Update Sunday, July 19: Containment on the 1,580-acre PL Gulch Fire increased to 45% Sunday morning as firefighters continued making progress along the fire’s perimeter. Personnel assigned to the fire increased to 204. According to the Colorado Incident Management Team, crews[Read More…]
Type 3 Incident Team assumes management of PL Gulch Fire
By Caitlin Walker | [email protected] The Colorado Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) assumed management of the 1,580-acre PL Gulch Fire burning in the Piceance Basin at 6 a.m. Friday, July 17. Operations are currently staged at the Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds. Why a Type 3 Team: IMTs are assigned[Read More…]
Editor’s Column: Is this thing on?
“Never tell me the odds!” ~ Han Solo, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back By CAITLIN WALKER | [email protected] If you know me, you know I am good at a few things, but my true specialty is making it awkward. So this week, we’re going to jump[Read More…]
Search efforts suspended for missing Rifle man last seen along Highway 13
By CAITLIN WALKER | [email protected] RBC | Organized search efforts have been temporarily suspended for 20-year-old Samuel Bower, an at-risk Rifle man who has been missing since Wednesday, July 8. Bower was last seen near Edelweiss Court and Dogwood Drive in Rifle. The last confirmed sighting placed him near mile[Read More…]