Letters To The Editor

Letter: Community blessings

Dear Editor:

On Sept. 29, our properties were being threatened by a fire that crossed the highway. Due to the high winds, the fire was advancing quickly. Our neighbors, friends and family dropped everything to provide help. In addition to the fire department, we had what seemed like an army of people arriving to lend a hand as well as phone calls and texts offering assistance. There were water trucks, tractors, backhoes, graders and a dozer that pulled together and amazingly built a fire line that stopped the fire before it reached any homes, buildings or livestock.  Some manned hoses and set up sprinklers while others were on standby to evacuate livestock if needed.  One even moved our vehicles to safer ground in the event that the fire couldn’t be stopped.

When the threat was contained and it was time for us to breathe, we realized we had just been on the receiving end of one of the blessings of living in this community. We are so grateful for the people that we proudly call our neighbors, friends and family.  Although it’s impossible to remember everyone that was a part of protecting our property and livestock, we would like to thank each and every one. Thank you doesn’t seem like a strong enough phrase to express our gratitude!

We know there were many others working on the other side of the highway but we’d like to thank the following for their relentless efforts in saving our properties:  Rangely Volunteer Fire Department, Dylan Smuts and the Big D’s Crew, Steve Urie and the Urie Trucking Crew, Bud Striegel, Roy Kinney, Terry Wygant, Alan Ducey, Levin Boulger, John and Diana Hartmann, Al Vandenbrink and Danny Lapp. We apologize if we have missed naming anyone but please know that we are grateful for your help as well.

Vance and Teri Wilczek

Kellen Wilczek

Vincent and Karen Wilczek

Rangely

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
7 hours ago
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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