MEEKER | Sadly, wildfire season is back. It’s only early April and Rio Blanco County has a serious fire. Jay and I saw it erupt while on a leisurely drive upriver on Sunday afternoon. The smoke spread rapidly and as we returned to town, we could see the fires spreading[Read More…]
Opinion
Guest Column: How I came to respect centrists
RBC | Sticks in the mud. Overly cautious. Obstacles to progress. That’s how I’ve tended to view political moderates — especially those in my own party. As a 30-something state legislator (1999-2005) deeply committed to individual liberty, limited government and personal responsibility, I often grew frustrated with moderate Republicans who[Read More…]
Loose Ends: Civility
MEEKER | Unfortunately, it appears that we are long past the age of civility. Public and private discourse alike show numerous signs foretelling the extinction of manners. Using some restraint after a heated argument, as well as resisting the urge toward slinging sarcasm are not communication skills we see very[Read More…]
Editor’s Column: Progress, not perfection
Anyone else fall into some pandemic-inspired bad habits you’re now trying to change? Whether it’s snacking all day while working from home or skipping exercise because you can’t get to the gym or digging yourself into debt with online shopping or spending entirely too many hours scrolling social media, you[Read More…]
Letters: Bofinger clarifies PMC board resignation, Rector supports Moyer, Freedom
Bofinger clarifies PMC board resignation Dear Editor: I have had the privilege of serving on the board of directors, for Pioneers Medical Center. Pioneers is a unique part of our community in that it is one of the counties larger employers with an amazing and committed staff. The entire staff[Read More…]
Loose Ends: Water Rights
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…]
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…]
Letters to the Editor: Recall Concerns, PAUSE Act
Recall effort doesn’t make sense Dear Editor: As I have read and re-read the letters to the editor in last week’s paper submitted by Terry Smalec (Rangely) and Toby Leavitt (Meeker), I have become more dismayed and bewildered by this recall effort. It doesn’t make sense and I cannot understand[Read More…]
Kaye’s Corner: Historical Society update
MEEKER | The Rio Blanco County Historical Society started around 1949 when a group of women devoted time to preserving historic artifacts. They collected items and stored them in a spare room of the Taggert family home. Over time, the collection and building morphed into today’s White River Museum. Thus[Read More…]
Letter: Alliance Happenings
A few years ago, some of the local fishing guides, landowners, and folks concerned about the White River formed White River Alliance. This group came together from a broad range of political, professional, and personal backgrounds and decided to form a strong alliance with one thing uniting them, the White[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…]
Letter: Comment on Moyer’s character, principles
Dear Editor: I worked for Rio Blanco County from May-August 2020 as a natural resources intern. While there, I had the opportunity to listen to several executive sessions, as well as listen to informal conversations and meetings between the three commissioners and various employees and department heads. At that time,[Read More…]
