A recent rise in more people running for special district elections and local board appointments shows a renewed willingness to participate more fully in community life. All of the various board appointments and elections are usually well advertised. Active community members, who may no longer serve because of term limits[Read More…]
Columns
EDITOR’S COLUMN: Cabin fever strikes again
Based solely on the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition, it feels like a fair share of us have a bad case of cabin fever: “Extreme irritability and restlessness from living in isolation or a confined indoor area for a prolonged time.” Sound familiar? Bickering and squabbling, aggravation and frustration, a sudden urge[Read More…]
Gilsonite
As I was standing in the White River Museum, someone uttered the word “Gilsonite.” I thought about saying “Gesundheit!” This was the first time in my life I had ever heard the word Gilsonite. They patiently explained it was something mined in the Western part of Rio Blanco. I nodded[Read More…]
Guest Column: Standing up for rural communities
Rural communities like our own are truly special. I grew up in our rural communities and with my grandpa as a rancher, I have a keen appreciation of our Western values. As a proud Western Slope citizen and member of the Agriculture, Natural Resources & Water Committee, I am committed[Read More…]
Guest Column: The benefit of public-private partnership
Our mountain and rural communities thrive when we work together. Lacking the resources of the big city, we must all collaborate to solve our most pressing challenges. We’ve been doing this for a long time, and I am confident that this type of problem solving can help us address one[Read More…]
EDITOR’S COLUMN: Knowledge gaps
In attempting to gain context for the ongoing changes and discussion surrounding the Fairfield apartments I found myself in a kind of vacuum. I knew what I’d heard said in meetings, but that information lacked context. How exactly did the Fairfield apartments come under county ownership? How was the Meeker[Read More…]
The mystery photo is a _______
And the answer to the mystery photo is a saddle iron (AKA running iron). No, you don’t use it instead of a clothes iron to iron saddle leather. It is used to brand cattle and portable enough to be carried in a saddle bag. This one is owned by Mike[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Wacky weather
Developing the ability to recognize the weather patterns and signs foretelling the immediate future can be linked to the number of years of residence. The old-timers in the White River Valley believed they were weather-wise and felt confident that it was this essential tool that determined their resilience or staying[Read More…]
EDITOR’S COLUMN: Wise words from the oldest woman alive
Order, tranquility, good connection with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, lots of positivity and staying away from toxic people … ~ What Maria Branyas Morera credits with her longevity, according to the Guinness Book of World Records The world’s oldest woman is 115[Read More…]
Guest Column: The importance of news literacy
News literacy is the ability to recognize the standards of fact-based news in order to trust, share, and act on accurate information. In a Digital Age where information spreads like wildfire, it is becoming more challenging than ever to separate fact from fiction. Anyone has the ability to create and[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Modern hiring and firing
A recent trend spreading through the working-from-home world is a scary example of what has gone extremely wrong with our reliance on technology. Apparently the pandemic’s requirement that most everyone work from home for the past few years has changed the workplace atmosphere irreparably. Showing consideration and respect are two[Read More…]
Guest Column: Overcoming political extremism, parts 1 and 2
PART 1: We must engage As 2023 gets into gear, we’re plagued by political extremism that prevents progress on many issues, so we need to recognize that extremism has become an essential problem. And we need to take actions to reduce or defeat it. Extremism’s success lies in its ability[Read More…]
