County, Meeker, Rangely

Rio Blanco County Days Gone By

The Meeker Herald — 100 years ago
• Grand Junction has a “50,000 club” and is boosting for that number of inhabitants, while Steamboat has hitched its wagon to the star marked “10,000.” There is no reason in the world why both towns should not reach the desired points. ~The Steamboat Pilot. And nothing less than 100,000 will satisfy Meeker.
• “If every school house in the land could become a gathering place where free and earnest discussion of social and political questions would take place, the reign of the boss would be over, and more good would result than comes from the boasted popular measures that reformers and demagogues are so loudly advocating.”
• Another “heat” was had in that Kilduff-Sheridan political debate Thursday, with the same old result, a draw.
• One of our leading real estate firms has concluded to discontinue the sale of town lots till next spring, when, it is expected, work on the construction of a Meeker-Grand railroad will be underway.

The Meeker Herald — 50 years ago
• The first night of the winter to drop below zero was on Tuesday night following the heavy snow storm that day. The storm left nearly 6 inches of snow in Meeker.
• The committee of the Rio Blanco County Cattlemen’s Association met this past week and they voted not to have a Stray Day Dance in December this year.
• Mr. and Mrs. Clinton McCrary have purchased Oscars Recreation and Sporting Goods business. Mr. McCrary has been employed by Camay Drilling Company and has worked in the Meeker area for the past eight months, during which time the McCrary family have made Meeker their home. They have three children, two boys, Joe and Mike, ages 16 and 14, and one daughter, Alice, who is 12.
• Thanksgiving still means thanks. We at the Meeker Hardware are thankful for the great state and nation in which we are privileged to live. ~Bud and Esme Conrado, owners of Meeker Hardware.
• Two Meeker students, Robert Amick and Thomas Raley, are members of the University of Colorado’s marching band this year.

The Meeker Herald — 25 years ago
• Demonstrating the use of the new postage stamp vending machine at the Meeker Post Office, Priscilla Gutierrez finds it convenient and reliable. The new machine will dispense five 22-cent stamps for $1.10.
• Meeker EMT’s and fire department worked to free Daniel Devereaux from the car he was driving last week.
• 1,800 hunters took advantage of the chamber of commerce’s services this past hunting season. The most often asked question was, “Where do I go to shoot a deer?” The second most asked question was, “What do I do now, I left my hunter safety card at home?”
• The recreation district’s gymnastics team traveled to Eagle to take part in a meet and came home with very high scores. Competing in the advanced class were Monte Castine, Amy Dupire, Pegge Halandras, Christi Scritchfield and Carla Seely. The intermediate advanced participants were Shona Carruthers, Katherine Hokit, Kristina Johnson, Kathy Kim and Patty Kilduff, Sonja Massey, Shea Miller, Katrina Theos and Hallie and Mollie Turner.

Rangely Times — 45 years ago
• New directors elected to the Rangely Area Chamber of Commerce are Russell Baskett, Fred McDonald and Bernie Stephenson.
• Town crews are taking advantage of the continued good weather to get drains and streets ready for winter. Roger Padilla operated a backhoe to clean out a ditch near Main Street which has given trouble in the past.
• “To those families with the empty chair — words are inadequate to express the feelings of a family separated by war. What all of us can do, when we sit down to that traditional Thanksgiving feast, is to pause — give thanks to the Supreme Being and pray that a safe return may be granted to those absent and that peace will come to the world.”
• Brothers Joe Bob and Billy Jack Bennett refused to waive extradition after being arrested on a charge of robbing the Bestway store in Rangely. They were placed in the Potter County Jail in Amarillo, Texas. Both denied being in Colorado during the time of the burglary.
• Returning basketball lettermen for the Panthers this year are seniors Larry Gierhart and Pete Miller; juniors Gary Chism, Mike Hutton and Tom Suchar.

Rangely Times — 35 years ago
• During the second quarter of 1976, Rangely retail sales were down 11.2 percent from the same quarter in 1975.
• The third “must” that every child should have for sound mental health is self-discipline.
• The Christmas Fair will be held at the Catholic Parish Hall in Rangely on Dec. 3-4.
• From Dinosaur: The school Thanksgiving dinner was held on Tuesday with many of the families joining their children for the feast. A delicious meal was enjoyed by all.

Rangely Times — 25 years ago
• An open house was held Nov. 18 for the new Rangely High School.
• Ann McLachlan Jones was the winner of the Radino quilt raffle Nov. 22.
• Frances Green will be cooking Thanksgiving dinner for her family and other guests at her home. The menu will be an old-fashioned Southern Thanksgiving dinner.
• Tony and Vicky McPhail are staying home for Thanksgiving and they have invited Naomi Hoops as their guest.
• Michelle Muller, 10, captured a first place trophy in forms at a Tae Kwon Do national tournament held in Florida in September. Darrel and Veda Muller of Rangely are her grandparents.

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  • On April 4, the Meeker Lions Club installed new shelving units for the New Eden Pregnancy Care Center. New Eden asked the Lion’s Club to help them come up with more storage for items within the building, and the Lion’s Club raised money to purchase shelves. OPAL MUNGER PHOTO
  • Why are we all so mad? Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
  • Livestock Judging teams from both sides of the county competed at The Rumble In The Rockies Livestock Judging Contest in La Plata County this past weekend. Read the full story this week online ht1885.com.
  • Meeker Cowboy Track continued its season with another meet in Grand Junction, the Frank Woodburn Invitational. The meet went on despite the blustery winds, low temps and snow. Read the story online at ht1885.com.
  • Sunglasses, shorts and snowflakes... if that doesn’t sum up a Western Colorado track meet in April, nothing does. The Rangely Panthers will likely have a warmer meet this Friday, April 12, in Grand Junction. Read the recap from the last meet in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
  • Meeker High School’s FCCLA group placed 10 of 13 students in the top three in their respective categories and six qualified for the national competition in Seattle, Washington, this June. Results: Sam Hightower and Finley Deming - 1st Place Gold - Repurpose and Redesign; Aimee Shults - 1st Place Gold - Job Interview; Becca Hood - 1st Place Gold - Leadership; Lissbeth Sanchez and Shailee Rundberg -  2nd Place Gold - Promote and Publicize FCCLA; Kailynn Watson- 3rd Place Gold - Job Interview; Emma Bauer and Jacey Follman - 3rd Place Gold - Sports Nutrition; Braydin Raley - 3rd Place Silver - Professional Presentation; Graycee Cravens - Silver Medal - Entrepreneurship; Haylee Steele - Silver Medal - Sports Nutrition; Eduardo Cordova- Silver Medal - Career Investigation. More photos and full update online at ht1885.com.
  • The Mountain Valley Bank Red Letter Day Coin Drive is in full swing! Donate your pennies to your favorite business this week to help them win! Proceeds go to HopeWest Meeker and the Meeker Education Foundation.
  • Smokey Bear and Ranger Kate with the United States Forest Service Blanco District stopped by the Meeker Public Library last Friday to share Smokey’s origin story and information about wildfire prevention with a room full of kids. Smokey Bear will turn 80 this year in August. NIKI TURNER PHOTO
On April 4, the Meeker Lions Club installed new shelving units for the New Eden Pregnancy Care Center. New Eden asked the Lion’s Club to help them come up with more storage for items within the building, and the Lion’s Club raised money to purchase shelves. OPAL MUNGER PHOTO
On April 4, the Meeker Lions Club installed new shelving units for the New Eden Pregnancy Care Center. New Eden asked the Lion’s Club to help them come up with more storage for items within the building, and the Lion’s Club raised money to purchase shelves. OPAL MUNGER PHOTO
14 hours ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
17 hours ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
Why are we all so mad? Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
Why are we all so mad? Hear from our Editor in her column this week online at ht1885.com.
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
Livestock Judging teams from both sides of the county competed at The Rumble In The Rockies Livestock Judging Contest in La Plata County this past weekend. Read the full story this week online ht1885.com.
Livestock Judging teams from both sides of the county competed at The Rumble In The Rockies Livestock Judging Contest in La Plata County this past weekend. Read the full story this week online ht1885.com.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
Meeker Cowboy Track continued its season with another meet in Grand Junction, the Frank Woodburn Invitational. The meet went on despite the blustery winds, low temps and snow. Read the story online at ht1885.com.
Meeker Cowboy Track continued its season with another meet in Grand Junction, the Frank Woodburn Invitational. The meet went on despite the blustery winds, low temps and snow. Read the story online at ht1885.com.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
Sunglasses, shorts and snowflakes... if that doesn’t sum up a Western Colorado track meet in April, nothing does. The Rangely Panthers will likely have a warmer meet this Friday, April 12, in Grand Junction. Read the recap from the last meet in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
Sunglasses, shorts and snowflakes... if that doesn’t sum up a Western Colorado track meet in April, nothing does. The Rangely Panthers will likely have a warmer meet this Friday, April 12, in Grand Junction. Read the recap from the last meet in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
Meeker High School’s FCCLA group placed 10 of 13 students in the top three in their respective categories and six qualified for the national competition in Seattle, Washington, this June. Results: Sam Hightower and Finley Deming - 1st Place Gold - Repurpose and Redesign; Aimee Shults - 1st Place Gold - Job Interview; Becca Hood - 1st Place Gold - Leadership; Lissbeth Sanchez and Shailee Rundberg -  2nd Place Gold - Promote and Publicize FCCLA; Kailynn Watson- 3rd Place Gold - Job Interview; Emma Bauer and Jacey Follman - 3rd Place Gold - Sports Nutrition; Braydin Raley - 3rd Place Silver - Professional Presentation; Graycee Cravens - Silver Medal - Entrepreneurship; Haylee Steele - Silver Medal - Sports Nutrition; Eduardo Cordova- Silver Medal - Career Investigation. More photos and full update online at ht1885.com.
Meeker High School’s FCCLA group placed 10 of 13 students in the top three in their respective categories and six qualified for the national competition in Seattle, Washington, this June. Results: Sam Hightower and Finley Deming - 1st Place Gold - Repurpose and Redesign; Aimee Shults - 1st Place Gold - Job Interview; Becca Hood - 1st Place Gold - Leadership; Lissbeth Sanchez and Shailee Rundberg - 2nd Place Gold - Promote and Publicize FCCLA; Kailynn Watson- 3rd Place Gold - Job Interview; Emma Bauer and Jacey Follman - 3rd Place Gold - Sports Nutrition; Braydin Raley - 3rd Place Silver - Professional Presentation; Graycee Cravens - Silver Medal - Entrepreneurship; Haylee Steele - Silver Medal - Sports Nutrition; Eduardo Cordova- Silver Medal - Career Investigation. More photos and full update online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
The Mountain Valley Bank Red Letter Day Coin Drive is in full swing! Donate your pennies to your favorite business this week to help them win! Proceeds go to HopeWest Meeker and the Meeker Education Foundation.
The Mountain Valley Bank Red Letter Day Coin Drive is in full swing! Donate your pennies to your favorite business this week to help them win! Proceeds go to HopeWest Meeker and the Meeker Education Foundation.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
Smokey Bear and Ranger Kate with the United States Forest Service Blanco District stopped by the Meeker Public Library last Friday to share Smokey’s origin story and information about wildfire prevention with a room full of kids. Smokey Bear will turn 80 this year in August. NIKI TURNER PHOTO
Smokey Bear and Ranger Kate with the United States Forest Service Blanco District stopped by the Meeker Public Library last Friday to share Smokey’s origin story and information about wildfire prevention with a room full of kids. Smokey Bear will turn 80 this year in August. NIKI TURNER PHOTO
5 days ago
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9/9

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