Here’s our community newscast for the week of January 14, 2021
Music in this episode: | Telluric Undercurrent by Revolution Void | https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Revolution_Void/The_Politics_of_Desire/revolution_void_-_05_-_telluric_undercurrent | License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
A snow person in a cowboy hat became a bit of a sensation last week, with some Meeker residents stopping to snap selfies with the frigid fellow. Photo on the front page, along with some big news about water storage in Rio Blanco county.
Aspen Journalism’s Heather Sacket reports that Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District now has a 66,720 acre-foot conditional water right to build a dam and reservoir between Rangely and Meeker. known as the White River storage project, or the Wolf Creek project, the reservoir would sit off-channel form the White River, contained by a 110 foot tall, 3,800 foot long dam. Read all about it on the front page.
Newly-elected county commissioner Ty Gates and re-elected incumbent Jeff Rector took their oaths of office Tuesday led by Clerk and Recorder Boots Campbell. Gates replaces retiring commissioner Si Woodruff. Commissioner Gary Moyer, who was elected in 2018, will chair the board this year. Find photos of the swearing in the the front page, and our report on the first regular meeting of 2021 on PAGE 2A.
The HT hosted a COVID-19 vaccine Q&A session with Rio Blanco County Public Health on Friday. You can watch the whole thing on our facebook page, or find a link on our website.
Editor NIki Turner reminds readers not to confuse ‘free speech’ with ‘free press,’ in her weekly column, and in letters to the editor, the McCord Family says “Don't change livestock town code.” Gus R. Halandras talks “Forced wolf reintroduction,” and resident Jim Magid and Dr. Albert Krueger praise the “impressive” COVID vaccine rollout in Rio Blanco County. Read more on page 4A.
Pages 5A and 6A have even more guest columns, including CNCC President Ron Granger’s thoughts on the upcoming Spring Semester, a statement by Colorado Press association on the January 6th capitol riots in Washington DC, and the latest “Writer’s on the Range” column by Dave Marston, who dives into the Walton Family Foundation’s influence on the Colorado River.
The state of Colorado released it’s “Just transition action plan” last week. The 20-page memo is intended to provide a summarized plan of action for replacing the jobs and revenue now subsidized by fossil fuels with sustainable alternatives. Read more on page 7A
Meeker School District's band programs have a new director. Randy Adams hails from Indiana and loves being able to conduct all ensembles. He has plans to add a few new things to Meeker's program, including a drumline and jazz band. The HT’s Sophia Geodert has more on page 8A, where you can also read Days Gone By. 50 Year’s ago the Rangely Times wrote “Beware of the half truth; you may have gotten hold of the wrong half.”
With open gyms and tournaments in other states, RBC club wrestlers participated in the Tournament of Champions (TOC) in Vernal, Utah, last Saturday. Results in the sports section on page 1B along with a photo of ERBM’s annual “Derby Day”
Here’s a quote from Jonathan Swift. A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
That’s all for this week’s news highlights.
All that and more in this week’s edition, in print and online at ht1885.com
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