MEEKER | “You don’t understand. My grandfather lost his life over who owns the water from the river.” Listening to a friend’s story about her grandfather’s struggles to get enough water to his crops and cattle to survive struck a chord with me. While we no longer hear of someone[Read More…]
Columns
Editor’s Column: Inspiration
Inspiration comes in many different forms. It’s inspiring to see people conquer obstacles, rise above adversity, and find success. Expressions of justice, honesty, courage, humility, generosity, integrity, and faith can, and should, inspire us to take the necessary steps for positive change. Most of us hate change so much we[Read More…]
Loose Ends: Happy Spring
MEEKER | Listening to a recent weather report that said that we have reached ninety percent of our needed snowpack, I realized how much we all take our piles and piles of snow for granted. There is no need to tell any of us that early spring brings our heaviest[Read More…]
Editor’s Column: April Fools
A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool. ~ William Shakespeare We’ve been awaiting the opportunity to publish a satire edition on April Fool’s Day for quite some time, and had all sorts of ideas rolling around. As with most fun[Read More…]
Loose Ends: Safety and security
MEEKER | While living in Meeker away from the crowds appeals to most long- term residents for a wide variety of reasons, one of the most frequently cited is safety. The events of this past year have threatened that sense of security. While on the surface, the rancorous disagreements between[Read More…]
Loose Ends: Safety and security
MEEKER | While living in Meeker away from the crowds appeals to most long- term residents for a wide variety of reasons, one of the most frequently cited is safety. The events of this past year have threatened that sense of security. While on the surface, the rancorous disagreements between[Read More…]
EDITOR’S COLUMN: Three Branches
Our founding fathers established three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. In a simplistic explanation, the legislative branch — the representatives elected by the people — determine laws that need to be made for the best and highest good of their constituents. The executive branch then has the power[Read More…]
Loose Ends: Weather Conversations
MEEKER | Tall tales of the winter-that-was abound this time of year. It is the time that people of all ages seem to dredge up their old stories. The mention of “Fool’s Spring” describing the mild temperatures and the long days filled with sunshine brings to mind all of the[Read More…]
Editor’s Column: Groupishness
In his book “The Righteous Mind,” moral psychologist Jonathan Haidt writes about “groupishiness,” the innate tendency of humans to lump themselves together based on likes or dislikes, similarities in culture or appearance, hobbies and habits, and more. It’s a different way of saying, “birds of a feather flock together.” It’s[Read More…]
Editor’s Column: “Cancel culture” is nothing new
I’m aging myself again, but I remember the tumult over the “Parental Advisory: Explicit Content” stickers slapped on cassette tapes and records in the 1980s in an attempt to protect the sensitive ears of children from hearing bad words and suggestive lyrics. The actions of the Parents Music Resource Center[Read More…]
Loose Ends: Arbor Day connects past and present
MEEKER | “Last spring we urged our town authorities to set our trees around the town park. It is too late to take action this season, but such action should be taken next spring and town made comfortable and attractive for visiting autoists.” The editor of the Meeker Herald apparently[Read More…]
Editor’s Column: Fool’s Spring
These deceptive days of blue skies and warm temperatures are likely — if we’re lucky — to be followed by the usual March and April snowstorms, but a brief respite from snow and cold is welcome this time of year. I’m going to take up ink and paper this week[Read More…]