A year ago, the leadership of the Colorado Community College System, including members of its Board of Trustees, embarked on a statewide listening tour to hear from employees and students across its 13 community colleges. The goal? To understand the needs and expectations of those they serve and incorporate them[Read More…]
Columns
FROM V.F.W. POST 5843: Understanding the purpose of the VFW
As we navigate a rapidly changing world, one constant remains: the unwavering dedication of our nation’s veterans. Today, organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) are vital not just in honoring that dedication but in bridging generational gaps. With a need to revitalize membership, engaging younger veterans is essential[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Back in the Day
Western communities, many from their earliest beginnings, celebrated our nation’s Independence Day in their own way, with picnics, music, foot races, buckin’ horses and horse races and food. The annual celebration has always been about flying the flag proudly when they exhibited it both indoor and outdoors. The main modes[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Making a difference
The Meeker’s July 4th celebration is almost upon us, so it might appear to be a tad bit late to step up and volunteer to help at one or two community events that are part of this fast approaching holiday. It is never too late. Helpers are always needed, even[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Summertime, and the livin’ is easy
The song “Summertime” by Gershwin in the musical Porgy and Bess (1935) remains one of the most favorite songs written for a musical for the past 100 years.”Summertime and the living is easy” is the line repeated in popular culture to apply to the feelings experienced when the trials of[Read More…]
GUEST COLUMN: YouthZone
First, a huge thank you to everyone who made our second Annual Spring Gala a success! With over 220 guests filling the Hotel Colorado’s beautiful Devereux Ballroom, we raised nearly $120,000 through sponsorships, ticket sales, auctions, and our paddle-raise—all to support YouthZone’s vital work. Last year, we served nearly 500[Read More…]
GUEST COLUMN: Yampa White Green Basin Roundtable supports preparation for a drier future
RBC | As the Yampa White Green Basin Roundtable prepares for decreased water availability in the future, it relies on Basin Implementation Plan (BIP) goals for guidance. One of its goals is “To develop an integrated system of water use, storage and administration and delivery to reduce water shortages and[Read More…]
GUEST COLUMN: Fear of College
MEEKER | Being a teenager is a weird stage. We are treated like children yet expected to act like adults. We are given the stress of a 30-year-old divorcee with three kids, yet pressured into “enjoying our youth.” Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe that happiness is a choice,[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Making space for each other
The only time one hears about “space makers” is when it refers to countertop appliances, small efficient pieces of furniture, or closet dividers. Glancing at an online article about building better relationships, it was easy to spot the new meaning of the two words. It referred to people rather than[Read More…]
GUEST COLUMN: Why Rio Blanco County opposes the Smart Wolf Policy Ballot Initiative
RBC | The undersigned organizations wish to provide some important perspectives regarding the proposed “Smart Wolf Policy” ballot initiative to stop wolf reintroductions. We encourage you to carefully consider the following points before offering your support through signatures or funding. Unfortunately, the proponents of this initiative failed to gather stakeholder[Read More…]
GUEST COLUMN: Standby
0600, Nov. 10, 1975 The Coast Guard Cutter Mesquite had just moored portside to, City dock, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. With the engine room secured, it was time to head up to the mess deck for breakfast. It had been a long four-week buoy run on the north end of Lake[Read More…]
LOOSE ENDS: Is the era of cooperation gone?
I was with a friend recently and we ran into a small group of friends. Casual, light conversation was the name of the game until it wasn’t. The tension kept building before someone inadvertently inserted a remark that was on the edge of politics and religion. Discussing those subjects reasonably have[Read More…]


