UPDATE MARCH 16, 2020: Pioneers Medical Center has been closed to ALL VISITORS. RBC | In response to the coronavirus threat, both Rio Blanco County hospitals have implemented visitor restrictions as a precautionary measure to protect vulnerable patients and the elderly population, as well as healthcare providers and staff. According[Read More…]
Author: Niki Turner
Woolgrowers urged to speak up about wolf reintroduction, but in the right way
RBC | “We better join arms,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife Regional Manager JT Romantzke said. “We’re in the middle of a war right now.” Those in attendance for the annual meeting of the Rio Blanco County Woolgrowers’ Association weren’t surprised by Romantzke’s words.
Meet the candidates for Meeker’s board of trustees, mayor’s race
MEEKER | There are five people — three incumbents and two challengers — vying for three open seats on the Town of Meeker’s board of trustees, and two people — a former trustee and a former county attorney — running for mayor on the town’s April 7 ballot. The Herald[Read More…]
OPINION: Colorado must balance recreation and farming with NEPA reform
RBC I There are hopeful signs for Colorado’s economic prospects in 2020. The Centennial State is not far removed from a record tourism year and the recently relaxed trade tensions with China, Mexico, and Canada mean farmers and ranchers are optimistic about commerce opportunities. Now West Slope Coloradans have an opportunity to offer support for[Read More…]
Meeker girls play for regional championship Saturday at 1 p.m.
UPDATE: The MHS girls’ basketball team fell to the Wray Eagles 57-55 Saturday in the regional championships. MEEKER | Following a 50-10 win against Telluride on their home court Friday, the lady Cowboys will battle it out with the Wray Eagles for the Region 3 Championship at 1 p.m.[Read More…]
Editor’s Column: Common sense
I don’t begin to imagine plagiarizing the title of Patrick Henry’s famous essay will lend a similar impact to my little column, but I’m using the title just the same. Once again the world is in the frenzied throes of paranoia, this time over another new virus: COVID-19, aka coronavirus.[Read More…]
Guilty verdict returned in five-day RBC jury trial
RBC I Following a five-day trial lasting well into the evening last Friday, a 12-person jury comprised of Meeker and Rangely residents returned a guilty verdict for 30-year-old Kenneth Henson of Rangely on multiple felony sexual assault charges stemming back to a 2018 arrest.
Common sense is the best medicine for preventing coronavirus infection
UPDATED: MARCH 8, 2020 According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, there are eight “presumptive positive” cases of Covid-19 in the state of Colorado. There are still no reported cases in Rio Blanco County. Visit the RBC Public Health Coronavirus Update page for local information and guidelines.[Read More…]
Barone wrestlers take first place at Gypsum Invitational
MEEKER I Tuesday was the opening of the wrestling season for Barone Middle School (BMS). Their first matches of the year, a triangular between Meeker, Craig and Hayden. “The kids looked nervous against Hayden but battled back against Craig,” commented head coach Todd Morris. Meeker triumphed over Hayden 62-45 but[Read More…]
Editor’s Column: Inconvenienced?
No one likes to be inconvenienced. Whether it’s a canceled event or a traffic jam or a missing item on a store shelf, inconvenience happens to us all. How we respond to those situations says a lot about who we are as people, for good or for bad. Generally, things[Read More…]
County Beat: Fair board members appointed
RBC I In work sessions, the Rio Blanco County Board of County Commissioners discussed preparing scoping comments on the proposed revision of the regulations governing the BLM’s grazing program. The Bureau of Land Management is accepting scoping comments in advance of a proposed revision of regulations that govern the BLM’s[Read More…]
OPINION—Editor’s Column: Yes, dear reader, opinions are biased
By NIKI TURNER [email protected] I warned y’all last week that our opinion section was about to heat up, and I attempted to explain our journalistic philosophy about what we include in the opinion section and why. For folks who actually read the print edition (or its digital counterpart), I think[Read More…]


