Be it a large metropolitan city or a small town in the remote mountains, it is a shame when anyone — not to mention a law enforcement officer in the line of duty — is injured while just doing their job.
When it is an elected official like long-time sheriff and law enforcement officer Si Woodruff, it catches us all off guard. There really is very little that can be said without thinking, “It can’t happen here.”
But it did.
And thankfully, Rio Blanco Sheriff Si Woodruff is well on his way to recovery at home after being stabbed while doing his job. And Meeker Police Chief Bob Hervey was thankfully uninjured while assisting Woodruff in making the arrest.
When the incident occurred on Aug. 2l, Woodruff was fortunate enough that the assault by his assailant happened while on the property of Pioneers Medical Center in Meeker. Medical care was close and came quickly.
And we should all be thankful that Woodruff’s injury wasn’t as bad as it could easily have been. A knife can be a deadly, damaging weapon.
A lot of people let out a widespread sigh of relief when the news was scattered around Rio Blanco County on Friday that Woodruff was back at home already, roughly 24 hours after being stabbed while trying to calm a situation between family members who he apparently knows quite well.
One never knows when a strange twist of fate will take place, and such is the fate of a law enforcement officer. One never quite knows what will kick off such a tragic event as this, but it is good to have Woodruff back in Rio Blanco County after his having been airlifted to Grand Junction for surgery.
Thanks Si. Thanks Bob. And thank you to all the local law enforcement officers who helped apprehend the assailant. You are never thanked enough for the work you do and under the conditions you often have to do it in.
It is also good to see that Dr. Robert Dorsett is back where he should be: teaching math and the sciences to high school students at Meeker High School, although it is not through the Meeker School District.
Under the circumstances, the fact that Dorsett is back at Meeker High School and tied to the dual enrollment program, one of the most innovative programs developed in modern education, is a win-win situation for Dorsett and the Meeker School District.
The winners this time are the Meeker High School students, who will have access to Dorsett through the dual enrollment program with Colorado Northwestern Community College, utilizing the program through the Meeker classroom.
The return of Dorsett to Meeker High School appears to be through the work of Meeker School District Superintendent Mark Meyer, Iris Franklin, who heads up the Meeker campus of Colorado Northwestern Community College, and, I suspect, CNCC President Russell George.
Now almost everyone seems to be happy with the arrangement, and, on behalf of the concerned students and parents, thanks go out to those responsible for Dr. Dorsett’s return.
Agree with whichever side you want over the who issue, but, the bottom line is that the students[are likely to be the beneficiaries. And that is a good thing.
Septemberfest is on slate for this weekend in Rangely, offering a wide choice of activities to join in or watch for those staying home for the Labor Day weekend.
Running Saturday through Monday, Septemberfest is mainly a town event.
Rangely residents turn out in good numbers to watch the crazy and fun events accompanied by a great parade, good food, a tremendous car show and a variety of other Rangely-specific events that make fun viewing and participation.
The Meeker Classic Sheepdog Trials jump off to a quick start on Wednesday, when three days of trials will begin taking place, followed by the 20-dog semi-final on Saturday Sept. 6 and the 10-dog finals on Sunday.
For someone who has never seen the Meeker Classic, the five-day event offers tremendous fun and impressive insight into the interaction between humans and their pets.
For those who have seen the event in the past, it is still a wonderful time to watch the matchup between canine and master and to observe how one is just an extension of the other.
The weekend will feature several food vendors offering a wide variety of fare, including lamb, an art show focusing on the border collie and sheep, other arts and and crafts, art judging and a great opportunity to meet folks from around the globe, here for the competition and spectating.
This event brings a large number of dollars to Meeker’s economy with hotels, restaurants and general shopping in Meeker being the beneficiaries.
Let’s all welcome our visitors to the Meeker Classic Championship Sheepdog Trials and make them feel at home.
The entire five-day enterprise is a massive undertaking, and the local volunteers do a tremendous job of making this event a success.
By the way,(Meeker Mayor) Regas Halandras, who has been preparing the site for several weeks now and who is one of the chief organizers, says there is still a need for volunteers to help during the event.
“From one day for a couple of hours up to five days of work that isn’t really very strenuous, we could use more volunteers,” he said. “We can always use more volunteers for scorekeeping, help with traffic and parking or whatever.”
Another annual event that brings throngs of people to Rio Blanco County is just about upon us. The peak of hunting season is a couple of weeks away from the full kickoff of the rifle seasons, but archery season begins Monday as does the plains rifle bear season.
Shortly thereafter, on Sept. 12, is the start of the muzzleloading season, which also brings many hunters to our area.
Then the four rifle hunts begin Oct. 10, Oct. 17, Oct. 31 and Nov. 11.
It could very well be that the hunting seasons and the Meeker Classic Sheepdog Trials compete for bringing the most new money into town, and that is always a good thing.
Let’s take care of our visitors and invite them to come back year after year for either event. These are many of the folks who help sustain our businesses throughout the winter and the year.
A big welcome goes out to those who have come or will come to Rio Blanco County for Septemberfest, the Meeker Classic and for the subsequent hunting seasons. We appreciate you.
