SERVING RIO BLANCO COUNTY, COLORADO SINCE 1885 HHaappppyy EEaasstteerr ...... Kai Lynn Watson RR II OO BB LL AA NN CC OO was one of many children to partici - pate in Easter Egg hunts last Saturday. The Lions Club in Meeker and the Elks Lodge in Rangely sponsor the annual events with the help of other local organ - Hera ld Tim es izations, bringing Home of Jonathan and Barbara Daniels many smiles to young faces. DALE HALLEBACH Volume 127, Number 28 I April 12, 2012 I theheraldtimes.com FFIIRREE dDaAnNgGeErR By BOBBY GUTIERREZ [email protected] BOBBY GUTIERREZ ————— Flames from an agricultural fire on RBC Road 8 did not get out of control but another burn did further east on RBC Road 49. Flames got MEEKER I With the current dry conditions, a controlled burn can get out away from Joe Brown Easter Sunday and burned onto his neighbor’s property. The Parr homestead, two sheds, some farm equipment, of controFl qiurickely,dwheicshtisrwohayt shapPpeanerd rEashteroafmterneoosntoen Laitdtle,Beaver. fences and approximately 80 acres burned before firefighters from the Meeker Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, interagency firefight - Joe Brown called for help Sunday last when a fire on his property on Rio ers, Juniper Valley Crew and others, including Darryl Nay and RBC commissioner Shawn Bolton controlled what is being called the Blanco County Road 49 got away from him and quickly spread to his neigh - Cottonwood Creek Fire Monday afternoon. Yesterday the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for most of western damages farm equipment Colorado and eastern Utah due to high winds, dry fuels and low humidity. No outdoor burning is advised. Please call the RBC Sheriff’s Office bor’s ranch. The Meeker Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department responded, at 878-9600 before burning. along with interagency fire te—ams—, the—Jun—iper— Valley Crew and the RBC Sheriff’s Office supported the incident with resources, according to RBC emergency manager John Hutchins. “Personal property, buildings, farm equipment and fences were burned,” Hutchins said. “The Cottonwood Creek fire was considered controlled at 1700 hours Monday and burned about 80 acres at the end.” “Some of the damage we don’t know yet,” Rich Parr said. “It could have been a lot worse, we didn’t lose any of our big equipment,” Rich Parr said. Parr said the fire burned down his grandfather’s homestead, the house his dad grew up in and an old building the homesteaders built. Parr said the fire could have spread more were it not for fire line built by three dozers, supplied by Shawn Bolton, Darryl Nay and RBC and he was thankful for the firefighters. “It was a pretty busy place here for a couple of days, they knocked it down the first night,” Parr said. “I’m glad we have the local resources and thanks to everybody who helped. Without them, it would be a different story.” Hutchins wanted to remind people to call the Sheriff’s Office (878-9600) to check conditions and for red flag warnings before attempting to burn. SHE CAME TO TOWN IN A COVERED WAGON - The promise of green grass, rivers and beautiful surroundings lured her family here - By HALLIE BLUNT where they would stop. weather. When it was time to attend high years. Special to the Herald Times Upon reaching this area, they camped school, Evelyn worked for Laughtin for her In 1936 they had their daughter Doris, near the “River Bridge” with the view of room and board. Her tenth grade year she and their son Bill in 1940. During their MEEKER I Last week’s article about the green grass of the mesa above them and roomed with a girlfriend in town and in early years, Evelyn remembers not having the significance of the Old Timers the sound of the river nearby. Evelyn’s 11th and 12th grades her mother rented a an indoor bathroom and the family getting Celebration led to a woman who has mother knew she had reached their destina - house behind a filling station near the cur - their first refrigerator in 1937 and their first attended the event since she was in her tion after that first night. rent Carsten Apartments. Evelyn was grad - deep freeze in 1950. They built the home early twenties. She was allowed to go with She worked extremely hard to keep her uated from high school in 1931. she currently lives in on Garfield about that her spouse, a 30-year resident. She has family fed and they moved to a ranch 15 She remembers there being more busi - time. rarely missed the event since then and she miles up Flag Creek in their first year in the nesses in town during her growing up “I was so excited to have an indoor will attend this year, at the age of 99. area. They did not have a vehicle, a phone, years, such as the flour mill, the show bathroom. I said we would build that first Two years ago, after fighting an illness, or any sort of indoor facilities, and they house (theater) where the abstract company and the house around it if we had to,” Evelyn Metzger danced at the party with simply planted a garden to help supply is now, and the lumber yard where they Evelyn said. Dr. Krueger. food. Evelyn remembers walking four stored ice blocks in sawdust to distribute in She recalls the fun they had attending “I’m not going to dance this year but I miles to the Flag Creek School that year the summer. She remembers vividly the dances every week in school houses and am going with my son,” she said. This with her siblings before her mother decid - time when no one had refrigerators and dance halls in the area. Karl loved to dance marks almost 77 years of attendance for ed they needed to be closer to town. deep freezes were unheard of. and they would even travel to Rifle and this remarkable woman whose memory is The family moved to a cabin near the Evelyn married Karl Metzger in 1933. Grand Valley for the chance to kick up their as clear as a bell. Evelyn will celebrate her current golf course, and then to the home The two moved to Utah and then to heels. 99th birthday April 20, and what a story near the Sprod property today. Shortly after California where her husband was paid $45 “People danced then,” and were good she has to show for her enduring life. this move, they moved to Powell Park a month in a job he was happy to have. neighbors, she said. Friends gathered in the She came to Meeker in 1919 with her where Lonnie and Peggy Shults now live. They moved back to Meeker when he got a evenings to play cards and talk. She isn’t 28-year-old widowed mother, three sib - Evelyn attended school at the Powell Park job with the Works Progress sure when that changed but said, “It must School. Through the years her mom Administration at the light plant across have been when we got TVs and computers lings, and another one “on-the-way.” Her COURTESY PHOTO family lived in Nebraska before her father worked for different people including a Evelyn Metzger, who will celebrate from the old water plant. He shoveled coal that people stopped having dances.” passed away. They moved to Wyoming stint with Garrett Evenson up Miller Creek. her 99th birthday on April 20, came to into three furnaces to keep them running “You could get anything you needed in until the promise of green grass, flowing Evelyn attended the Miller Creek School Meeker with her widowed, pregnant and the plant paid for itself at that time, Meeker then,” she said. Oldland’s store rivers and beautiful surroundings lured during her eighth grade year. mother and three siblings in 1919 in a with no additional tax money. was a large store and there were two and Evelyn’s mother to the area. Her mom In the winter months her mother covered wagon. She has attended the After the light plant sold to White three grocery stores in town. loaded her children into a covered wagon cooked for the Meeker Hotel so the chil - Old Timers Celebration for more than River Electric, Karl worked for the water and headed down from Wyoming, not sure dren would not have to walk far in the cold 75 years. plant. He was employed by the town for 38 See STORY, Page 5A WEATHER Saturday: 50s/20s Rain possible Sunday: 50s/20s Partly sunny The THRIFT & GIFT Shop 1-866-628-3532-628-3532 The 2012 Spring Edition Coming Soon! Call 970.878.4017 for your chance to advertise in the 2012 Spring Edition of 265 Sixth Street • Meeker • 970.878.5500 654 MainMain St.St. | Meeker,Meeker, COCO www.stratanetworks.comwww.stratanetwoorks.com the Northwest Colorado Hunting Guide. RIO BLANCO HERALD TIMES 2A " COMMUNITY Thursday, April 12, 2012 BRIEFS RBC Fair Board meeting April 19 MEEKER | Fair Board meeting, Thursday, April 19, 6 p.m., RBC Fairgrounds kitchen. Spokesperson competition April 18 RBC | The Colorado CattleWomen Youth Beef Spokesperson Competition will provide a welcoming environment for young people to develop and practice their speaking skills in Fruita on April 18. Contact Roxanne Leischer, 4-H coordinator, at 970-878-9495 for more information. Hodges fundraiser set for April 20 RANGELY | There are three fundraisers planned for Roebi Hodges in the next few weeks. A golf tournament will be held Friday, April 20 at Cedar Ridges Golf Course, followed by a $6 hamburger VFW MEMORIAL ..