The fourth annual Meeker Skijor returned to the Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds. Teams competed on Saturday, Dec. 30 and Sunday, Dec. 31 with 90 runs down the track each day. View more event photos from Samme Purkey here: Day 1 >>> Day 2 >>> Novice Division – Overall average time[Read More…]
Latest News
Highlights, lowlights and other clips and cuts from a year of local news in 2023…
Meeker’s recycling program came to an end after two decades. Expenses, partially offset by town funds, combined with low prices and demand for recyclable materials, made the program financially unsustainable. New county officials were sworn in to office in January 2023, including Clerk and Recorder Shawn Luce and commissioners Doug[Read More…]
County commissioners discuss 2024 budget, employee retention/hiring, wage increases
Lisa Hemann addressed commissioners’ concerns about revenues exceeding expenditures and reviewed general proposed numbers for the 2024 budget. She explained that expenditures exceeding revenues in county fund balances is part of a normal budgeting process. Commissioners allocate excess revenues into certain funds over time to cover items like ongoing maintenance[Read More…]
Rio Happenings: December 24-29, 2023
ARRESTS No arrests this week. CALL SUMMARIES 12/24/2023 @ 1:06 pm. There was a hit and run accident at Watts Ranch Market. The driver’s side mirror was hanging down when they returned to their car. 12/28/2023 @ 1:41 pm. An ambulance was called out to the Ripple Creek parking lot[Read More…]
Community Calendar: January 4, 2024
Library book club Jan. 8 MEEKER | The Meeker Public Library book club is reading The Humans by Matt Haig. We will meet to discuss the book at the Meeker Public Library on Monday, Jan. 8, at 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome! Mark your calendars for cardboard derby, ice fishing[Read More…]
Editor’s Column: Just keep swimming
Here we are in the first full week of 2024 and I haven’t managed to change my calendar or take down the Christmas decorations at the office. I did take down the tree at home. Well, I hauled it upstairs to the attic, still decorated. A practice I picked up[Read More…]
PRIME PROBLEMS …
While most of us were stunned by the idea of a “300-400 daily average” of packages handled by the Meeker Post Office, that number is the average for just one of the larger local routes, not the entire Post Office, according to Postmaster Beth Fox. The average total of packages[Read More…]
History Lessons: The Cavanaugh mystery, Part 2
Missed Part 1? Read it here. After combing the Registry of Trials by General Court Martial 1881-1882, I concluded that the culprit was not in the NARA index there. In searching the Wyoming State archives for mentions of Cavanaugh and various spellings of the names, I hit paydirt. The Cheyenne[Read More…]
Loose Ends: The passing of time
That old expression used by so many of us, for as long as we can remember, keeps popping up in conversations: time passes. As we approach the turning of another year, we may have mixed feelings about the conclusion of 2023. How we choose to experience our yearly celebration of[Read More…]
Guest Column: It always takes more time
Many years ago, I was bemoaning to a friend that a work project was requiring much more time than I expected. He just laughed and said, “Kaye, it always takes more time.” Have you ever noticed how your day gets away from you in terms of tasks accomplished? At day’s[Read More…]
Obituary: Glenn Robert Carden
Glenn Robert Carden July 17, 1955 ~ Dec. 19, 2023 Former Meeker resident Glenn Robert Carden passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, at his home in Moab, Utah. He was 68. Graveside services will be held at Highland Cemetery on Jan. 4, 2024, at 11 a.m. A celebration of[Read More…]
Obituary: Barbara Jean ‘Barbie’ Purkey
Barbara Jean ‘Barbie’ Purkey Aug. 10, 1962 ~ Dec. 27, 2023 Barbara Jean “Barbie” Purkey, of Meeker, died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023, at her home. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at the Church of Christ, 904 Third Street in Meeker. Barbie[Read More…]
