Opportunity or community. What’s the difference? By definition, these concepts are fundamentally different, yet they often intermingle. Opportunity asks, What can I gain? What can I achieve? Community asks, Who am I with? Who do I belong to? One is inherently self-focused; the other is inherently other-focused. Nearly every decision[Read More…]
Author: Niki Turner
Lunch with Land and Carbon, May 1 in Meeker
MEEKER | Landowners are invited to a free lunch and presentation on restoring degraded and fire-impacted land, hosted by Land and Carbon on Friday, May 1, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Mountain Valley Bank meeting room (side entrance). Bob Lawrence, COO, and Jim Spaanstra, chief strategy and revenue[Read More…]
Back-to-back meetings highlight worsening drought in White River Basin
RBC | Two meetings last week — one hosted by the White River Alliance on Wednesday at the Meeker Public Library and another by the Colorado River District on Thursday — delivered a consistent message: drought conditions in the White River Basin are worsening, and water supplies are likely to[Read More…]
EDITOR’S COLUMN – April 23rd, 2026
“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count; it’s the life in your years.”~ Unknown (often incorrectly attributed to Abraham Lincoln) Sometimes being an only child is great. This is not one of those times. I’m writing this from my mom’s hospital room in Rifle.[Read More…]
Fire risks, student voices and local growth lead board agenda
Student forum, emergency fuels reduction plan and local business report among key discussions MEEKER | A student-led discussion on wildfire policy and an update on a nearby underground coal mine fire drew attention during the Meeker Board of Trustees’ latest meeting, where officials also approved steps toward wildfire mitigation near[Read More…]
EDITOR’S COLUMN – April 16th, 2026
“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you insane your whole life.” ~ Anne Lamott I’ve long told myself that the week we have a “perfect” paper will be the week I quit, and just about every week I think I’ve nailed[Read More…]
Letter to the Editor: Attention all voters!
Editor’s Note: This letter didn’t make it into this week’s edition. Because it references next Tuesday’s April 14 commissioners’ meeting, we’re posting it online now. Dear Editor: The sky is falling! The sky is falling! OK, it’s not falling. But if the right hallucinogenic drug is taken, you might believe[Read More…]
EDITOR’S COLUMN – April 9th, 2026
“It takes a village to convince one person to prepare their property for fire season — and sometimes that one person is all it takes to put the whole village at risk.” ~ The Hotshot Wake Up Back when the evening news was the news, I remember watching stories about[Read More…]
AGNC to host community strategic planning sessions in Rio Blanco County
RBC | The Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado (AGNC) is inviting residents and stakeholders to participate in upcoming community strategic planning sessions as part of its Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Northwest Colorado. The CEDS process helps guide funding, partnerships and long-term economic resilience across the region. Community members[Read More…]
Trustees approve trail funding, review town projects
MEEKER | The Meeker Board of Trustees approved a letter of support for a regional nuclear energy initiative and committed funding to local trail improvements during its latest meeting. Trustees voted unanimously to support a regional response to a Request for Information (RFI) from the U.S. Department of Energy seeking[Read More…]
Library board tables minutes, reviews policies and finances
MEEKER | The Meeker Regional Library District board tabled approval of meeting minutes following a discussion about how those records should be written and what level of detail they should include. Board President John Moffitt referenced Robert’s Rules of Order, emphasizing that minutes should reflect board actions, decisions and votes[Read More…]
EDITOR’S COLUMN: Motive tells its own tale
Do you ever look at someone and just think, “Why?” Why did they make that decision? Why are they acting that way? There’s a reason we ask those questions. Motive matters. Motive, by definition, is “a reason for doing something, especially one that is hidden or not obvious.” In murder[Read More…]
