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 Rock art in Picketwire Canyon | Cuchara Dog Trot a runaway success | | 15 - July - 2010CUCHARA—A beautiful, crisp July 3rd morning greeted approximately 200 combined runners for the 19th annual 1.1 mile Cuchara Valley Recreation Program and the inaugural Dog Trot 5K race. Proceeds for both events went to the benefit of the Cuchara Valley Recre..
| 15 - July - 2010CUCHARA—A beautiful, crisp July 3rd morning greeted approximately 200 combined runners for the 19th annual 1.1 mile Cuchara Valley Recreation Program and the inaugural Dog Trot 5K race. Proceeds for both events went to the benefit of the Cuchara Valley Recreation Program. Due to a scheduling conflict, the two races were merged and it seemed everyone had a good time, runners and dogs alike.
The two races began at the Cuchara Community Center, which was also the end point for the Fun Runners. For the 50 people and their dogs running the 5K dog trot, the course continued another two miles along Highway 12 and finished in front of the Dog Bar.
The original Cuchara community race has been organized the previous 18 years by Bruce Johnson and his family from Atlanta, Georgia. The event is held to support various programs conducted by the recreation program benefiting both Cuchara residents and visitors. In future issues, be on the lookout for articles written by Nancy Christofferson about various trails that are available to hikers in the Cuchara Valley. Runners and dogs came from far and wide to participate in the dog trot.
The overall winner was Hans Noordik of La Veta with a time of 12:02. Second place runner was Anne Ricketts, a high school track coach from San Francisco California in a time of 12:22. Third place was Kristie Krier of Castle Rock with a time of 14:58. The first place human/dog team was a lovely lady whose name escaped us in the confusion (sorry) but her poodle was Gabby. Sam Flanagin and Patch came in second, and Rodney White came in third with two dogs (we’re not sure which one of them crossed first.) The Huerfano World Journal and the Dog Bar were the major sponsors of the Dog Trot Event. Other sponsors were: DATCO Tesitor Financial Services, Max’s Place in Colorado City, Noordik Construction, Roselawn Pet Cemetary, Rio Cucharas Veterinary Clinic, Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center, The Conservation Land Appraisers,
Johnny’s Place and Larry Moore, DVM. | | Maccietto to retire from HHS | 15 - July - 2010Staff Report
WALSENBURG- Chuck Macchietto, Director of the Dept. of Health and Human Services in Huerfano County, is retiring from his position effective at the end of the month. However in his letter he offered to act as a consultant for the county workin..
| 15 - July - 2010Staff Report
WALSENBURG- Chuck Macchietto, Director of the Dept. of Health and Human Services in Huerfano County, is retiring from his position effective at the end of the month. However in his letter he offered to act as a consultant for the county working with Child Protective Services.
Some of the terms Macchietto listed in the offer were a 24 hour work week at $35 an hour and health benefits.
The County Commissioners are looking at two possible locations for a new Emergency Medical Services building and home for the Huerfano County Fire Department; one on West 7th street and the other on Highway 85/87 in the Northlands. One of the issues they are considering is the availability of water taps and sewer.
The County Commissioners also approved, on a 3-0 vote, the renewal of the contract with RETAC for emergency services.
Approved also on a 3-0 vote is a proposed overhead power line project on County Road 350 by San Isabel Electric.
Long Energy reported to the county through a letter the cost of a project that will make ten county owned buildings more energy efficient. The buildings are mostly constructed from native stone and were built at the turn of the last century. The energy savings of the upgrades all show a payoff over time. Costs for the project will be covered by a grant of about $646,000 with a $128,758 match coming from the county’s general fund and a $200,000 match coming from the State Historical Fund. | | City Council questions hiring | 15 - July - 2010by Larry Patrick
WALSENBURG- There was just one item on the special meeting agenda on Wednesday, June 30. Although it was about a controversial topic, it did not spark as much attention as an apparently routine hiring matter did.
The special meeting ..
| 15 - July - 2010by Larry Patrick
WALSENBURG- There was just one item on the special meeting agenda on Wednesday, June 30. Although it was about a controversial topic, it did not spark as much attention as an apparently routine hiring matter did.
The special meeting was to extend the moratorium on medical marijuana businesses in Walsenburg. The State Constitution allows medical marijuana businesses, and the city of Walsenburg wanted an additional six months to come up with an ordinance on how to handle the licensing of anyone wanting to have such a business in the city. It passed on a 7-0 vote.
City Councilman Craig Lessar then brought up the hiring of Wendy Ritchie for the utilities department. Assistant Administrator Beth Neece said the hiring was done because the workload couldn’t be handled with the departure of Finance Director Krystel Vigil two weeks ago. Vigil had vacation time accumulated and left the day after tendering her resignation.
Lessar asked if this was a temporary hire to be terminated after a new finance director is hired and Neece said it was a permanent hire. Councilwoman Jerant then asked why the position wasn’t advertised. Neece said that Ritchie had worked for the city the past year until the grant paying her salary ran out. She had gone to work with another company and wouldn’t quit for a part-time position with the city. So she was rehired fulltime and had the year’s experience needed to do the job.
Jerant argued that since Ritchie was originally hired under the Rocky Mountain Ser senior program at no charge to the city, technically she wasn’t hired a year ago. Neece said this was an emergency situation that required action because the city could not afford to get behind on necessary work affecting the city and its citizens in the utility department. Neece said more information will be forthcoming but she wasn’t prepared to discuss it further since it wasn’t an agenda item.
With the layoffs of employees in the past six months, the hiring caught many city council members by surprise. However, the city council has not voted to put on a hiring freeze. | | Battlemoor, the Mountain Crusades! | 15 - July - 2010By Jaye Sudar and Dan Harper
HUERFANO- It was hot, dusty and the wind was dry. The Crusaders traveling to the holy lands to battle the Saracens, baked in their armor. The knights landing at Outremer found the Saracens waiting on the docks to attack. The ..
| 15 - July - 2010By Jaye Sudar and Dan Harper
HUERFANO- It was hot, dusty and the wind was dry. The Crusaders traveling to the holy lands to battle the Saracens, baked in their armor. The knights landing at Outremer found the Saracens waiting on the docks to attack. The battle was fierce. Soon, the fighting moved on to battle at Constantinople where the two armies attacked with vigor and many a brave knight gave their all in battle.
No, this isn′t ancient history, but rather a glimpse into the world of the Society for Creative Anachronism. (SCA) Up on the Stroh Ranch, a time warped encampment appeared for six days of sword play, tournaments, melee battles, medieval period arts and crafts as well as good food, socializing and the chance to enjoy life in Medieval times. The kingdoms of Northshield, Atenveldt, Artemisia, Calontir, Ansteorra joined the kingdom of the Outlands at this new event which hosted almost 1,500 people. The individuals in charge of this event this year were the Autocrats Duchess Cainnleach, and Count Giovanni.
Battlemoor, the Mountain Crusades reenacted The Battle of Montgisard, Siege of Jerusalem 1098, Battle of Ascalon, Horns of Hattin, the Siege of Jerusalem: 1187, Sack of Constantinople and Battle of Beziers which were actual battles in period. There were rapier battles, heavy weapons melees and tournaments. On Saturday was the Sword and Shield Tournament, which was one on one combat between knights of six kingdoms. His Grace, Hrothgar Monomakh, of Al Barran won the tournament.
Royal courts were held in the evenings to honor victors, new knights, dancing, and to celebrate a number of events.
However, the SCA isn′t just about knights and fighting. It encompasses all of the arts, sciences and crafts that supported daily life in medieval times. Walking around Battlemoor, one could watch the blacksmith twist iron into forks or handles. Artisans were working with man powered lathes to carve out bowls or other tools from wood. Fiber arts were represented as well with spinning, knitting, weaving and naalbinding. Oh, and one must not forget the brewers and cooks of Battlemoor. Without them, there would be no feasting or drinking. There were classes on belly dancing, various fiber arts and swordsmanship. All aspects of life are to be enjoyed at events like this.
For more information on the SCA, visit http://www.sca.org/. The kingdom of the Outlands can be found at http://www.outlands.org/. If you would be interested in finding out more information on local participation in the SCA, local members have mentioned holding meetings later on this year. | | Bike and Build rideers bring hope | 15 - July - 2010by David Tesitor
WALSENBURG- On July 1, thirty one cyclists rode into town and spent the night at the United Methodist Church as a part of the cycle across America program which builds homes for the Habitat for Humanity. The Bike and Build program is in it..
| 15 - July - 2010by David Tesitor
WALSENBURG- On July 1, thirty one cyclists rode into town and spent the night at the United Methodist Church as a part of the cycle across America program which builds homes for the Habitat for Humanity. The Bike and Build program is in its seventh year of building homes for the Habitat, and here’s how it works: eight teams of cyclists travel across the country to work on projects which ultimately become homes for the needy. Each rider was required to raise $4000 to be a part of the ride. The group stopped in Walsenburg after an 84 mile ride which took them from Trinidad over the Scenic Highway of Legends. Karen Goudreau, a junior at Simmons College who hails from Mayfield Heights, OH had never been on a bike until this trip. She said of the experience, “Riding in from New Mexico and seeing the mountains being out in the distance looked challenging, but when I got here it was incredible.”
The group rested up for the night then headed out to Pueblo, the long way around, a 119 mile route through Gardner, Westcliffe and on into Beulah and Pueblo. On Saturday they traveled to Colorado Springs where they completed a ‘Blitz and Build,’ constructing an entire house from the foundation up. The finishing touches of the house were completed today. From there, they are off to Rifle, CO to work on a portion of another project.
The Colorado Springs house is the only house to be built by the same team this summer. Jessica Crumpler, who graduated from the University of North Carolina this past May said that, “The most rewarding experience of this whole trip is seeing that we can actually make a difference wherever we are. Seeing a floor or maybe the walls going up is just a small part of the whole picture.” According to Megan O’Brien, one of the route directors, “We’ve done it all… roofing, demolition framing and landscaping.” When the group hit Colorado Springs on Saturday, the foundation had already been laid by a previous group last week. In fact, the night this group was in Walsenburg, there were two other groups in Boulder and Gunnison en-route to other projects.
This group is a part of the Charleston, SC to Santa Barbara, CA route, a 4190 mile trip. It is the longest route both in distance and days. Their Walsenburg layover was the 39th of an 81 day journey. They already logged in 2015 miles. Since the inception of the program in 2003, the riders have peddled over 2.3 million miles and contributed over 63,500 man-hours of labor. Many of these kids have given up their summers to complete the ride while some are still searching for something meaningful in their young lives. Three riders told me they quit their jobs to be able to make the trip.
Judging by the looks on their faces- some relieved their first experience in the mountains was over and others just relaxing- it was obvious they are all building an experience of a lifetime. I did not have the heart to tell them about the Continental Divide. In closing, Brad Guest, a senior at Penn State said his best moment of the trip was “completing the highest climb of the trip then the feeling of coming down the mountain... what a rush.” Guest was another who was never on a bike prior to this trip. His athleticism comes from being a member of the rowing team at PSU.
If you would like more information or want to track the riders or make a donation, visit their website at www.bikeandbuild.org. | | Briefs for July 01, 2010 | 08 - July - 2010Craft workshops @ your library
WALSENBURG- Area youth are invited to get together for craft workshops every Thursday in July at Spanish Peaks Library in Walsenburg. Summer is a great time to dive into fun at your Library. Try some of these great workshops..
| 08 - July - 2010Craft workshops @ your library
WALSENBURG- Area youth are invited to get together for craft workshops every Thursday in July at Spanish Peaks Library in Walsenburg. Summer is a great time to dive into fun at your Library. Try some of these great workshops.
July 1, Introduction to Songwriting with Andy Hackbarth 3:30 pm.
July 8, Pioneer Crafts with Madison Estabrook 10 am to 2 pm.
July 15-16, Nature Crafts with Celine Bensink 2 pm.
July 22-23, Weaving Workshop with Carol Snow 10 am to 5 pm.
July 29, Cake Decorating Workshop with Barbara Buckwalter 3 pm to 5 pm.
Please sign up for workshops at the main desk in the Library. For more information please call 738-2774 or visit our website at www.spld.org.
CoCoRaHS training
WALSENBURG- Thanks to the support of the Emergency Management Hazard Mitigation grants program, CoCoRaHS will be offering an informational session July 1. We will talk about flood hazards in conjunction with our training and recruitment of CoCoRaHS volunteers to help observe and report precipitation in their backyards.
Interested persons are welcome to join us Thurs. July 1 from 1-2:30 pm at the Huerfano County Community Center, 928 Russell Ave.
Fridays for fun: Tie Dye Class
LA VETA- On Fri. July 2, from 1 to 4 pm at The La Veta School of the Arts, participants can enjoy creating their own wearable art. Students will learn to make swirls, color block and advanced patterns to delight even those who have attended previous workshops. Students may bring a few 100% cotton items from home to dye. Class is available to children 6 - 16.
The cost is $40, and Patti will have t-shirts, banner and flag material available. There are 10 scholarships which will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants should wear old clothes they may get permanent dye on. Younger children should have a parent or other adult to help. We expect this to be one of our biggest classes of the season. This one′s not to be missed.
Scholarship grants for children’s art classes in La Veta
LAVETA- Thanks to generous gifts from local residents and to a new grant from Target, The La Veta School of the Arts can now guarantee 10 scholarships available per children’s class. To take advantage of this opportunity, parents or caregivers should call the art school to reserve a place as the scholarships will be offered on a first come, first served basis. Call 719-742-3421.
Spanish Peaks Library used book sale
WALSENBURG- Friends of the Library in the Spanish Peaks Library District will be having their annual used book sale on Fri. July 2 from 8 am - 3 pm at the Library, 415 Walsen Ave. Any questions, please call Jerry 738-2426 or the Library 738-2774.
Southern Colorado Repertory Theatre calendar events
TRINIDAD- On July 2, 3, 10, 11, 15, 29, and 30 at 7:30 pm and July 18 at 2:30 pm, SCRT presents the hit musical Nunsense at the Massari theater. Tickets at 719-846-4765, www.SCRTheatre.org, or the SCRT Ticket Office at 132 E. Main. St. Trinidad.
On July 9, 16, 17, and 24 at 7:30 pm and July 25 and Aug 1 at 2:30 pm, SCRT presents the delightful musical Baby at the Massari. Tickets at 719-846-4765, www.SCRTheatre.org, or the SCRT Ticket Office at 132 E. Main. St. Trinidad.
On July 22, 23, 31 SCRT presents evening performances of the new comedy Squabbles at the Massari. Tickets from $13 at 719-846-4765, www.SCRTheatre.org, or the SCRT Ticket Office at 132 E. Main. St. Trinidad.
Lathrop Park events“Discover Llamas”
On Fri. July 2 at 6 pm, Sunny Dunbar, who runs Discover Llamas, a kids’ day camp near La Veta, will be bringing 3 Llamas to help us learn all about them.
Sugarplum, Unity and Blizzard will assist Sunny in teaching us llama history, behaviors, interesting facts, current uses of the animals and about llama competitions in the U.S. Sunny will hand out informational pamphlets to attendees and take the first 10 visitors who show up on a short hike! All ages are encouraged to attend as this should be a great family event.
“Ghosts of Huerfano County”
On Sat. July 3 at 8 pm, local author and storyteller Dick Anderson will be telling some chilling tales based on real accounts of ghosts in the Huerfano
County area. Mr. Anderson wrote the book Huerfano Ghosts and Other Haunted Tales. As a historian, Dick has collected many spine-tingling tales over the years and is gracious enough to share a few of those with us. Although we can expect the hair on our necks to stand up straight, this program will be for all ages.
AZTLAN Native American Dancers Enjoy Independence day activities
Persons who want a great spot to watch the Walsenburg Fireworks Display, but won’t enjoy having nothing to do until sundown, should join Lathrop State Park in celebrating Independence Day. A $6 parks pass offers the opportunity to park directly across the street from the fireworks display, hike along our paved lakeside trail, enjoy great fishing spots and enjoy a Native American Dance show just before the fireworks!
On Sun. July 4 at 8:00 pm,The Aztlan Song and Dance group will perform. They are descendents of the Mimbreno Apache Tribe and have joined together since 1989 to carry on the traditions and values of their ancestors. This dance theatre group tells their story though song and dance dressed in traditional attire and performs a variety of ceremonial dances from their culture’s past.
Junk to Treasures
WALSENBURG- The Huerfano Cat Coalition is holding its first Junk to Treasures “yard sale” on Sat. July 3. For persons who are cleaning out the basement or garage, this is a chance to make a donation. The coalition is accepting any small item (s). Clothing and large items like appliances and furniture cannot be accepted. Donations should be dropped off at the sale site after 8 the morning of the sale, July 3. The sale will be located at 6th and Main (Cowboy Connections corner) from 9 to 3. All proceeds will go towards spaying and neutering feral cats in Huerfano County. For more information, call 738-3167.
Fun Run times two in cool Cuchara
CUCHARA- The 19th annual Cuchara Valley Recreation Program’s fun run is combining with the inaugural Cuchara Dog Trot this Sat. July 3 at 8 am, for twice the run and twice the fun. Proceeds from both races will benefit summer programs of the Cuchara Recreation Program. See related article page 1.
35th annual Art in the Park
LA VETA- On Sat. July 3 from 10 am to 5 pm and Sun. July 4 from 10am to 4pm, Art in the Park will offer over 100 Artist Booths with handmade original artwork. The event is free with a full lineup of music both days, rain or shine. Admission is free.
La Veta Rotary will offer a BBQ Sat. July 3 for $7,
and food vendors will be offering a variety of items both days. See www.spanishpeaksarts.org for more information.
Brown Bag Books meets
LA VETA- Brown Bag Books will meet Tues. July 6, at 12 noon at the La Veta Public Library to just sit around and talk about books. The group sometimes solves world problems too. Anyone who is interested should come and bring a lunch. It’s OK to just sit and listen.
Old fashioned barbecue
WALSENBURG- State Representative Wes McKinley (D-Dist. 64) and the Huerfano County Democratic Party invite all interested citizens to come to an Old Fashioned Political Barbecue on Thurs. July 8 from 4 pm to 6 pm at Heritage Park in Walsenburg.
Heritage Park is the beautiful, shady park across the street from the courthouse on Main Street. Wes and his crew will be “flippin’ burgers” on the barbecue and will also be entertaining us with some real “Cowboy Country” music. Come out and support the strongest defenders of Pinon Canyon and our Colorado way of life. Join your friends and neighbors and meet your Representative, Wes McKinley, and your local Democratic candidates. There will be good food, great fun and old fashioned political good times. Call David Gnaizda at 719-746-2425 for more information.
Experimental Drawing & Painting weekend class
LA VETA- Peggy Zehring’s exciting, abstract experimental drawing and painting weekend class will be happening July 9, 10 & 11 at La Veta School of the Arts. Draw with charcoal Friday evening 6-9 and then use the images you created unconsciously to unfold abstract paintings on Saturday and Sunday. You’ll learn color mixing, recognizing and capitalizing on your own marks, compositional excellence and much more. Cost is $185.00. For more information or to register call 719-742-3421 or
e-mail LVArtSchool@yahoo.com or register online at www.theLVSA.org
Arts and Music Festival
GREENHORN VALLEY- Visitors will enjoy free admission to the Festival 20 miles north of Walsenburg on Sat. July10, 10-9 and Sun. July 11,10-5. There will be a full-spectrum music line up, from classical to jazz and blues to bluegrass and rock as well as art exhibits, kid′s crafts, food and drink. For more infor
Traditional Watercolor class
LA VETA- Traditional Watercolor on July 16, 17, and 18 will offer the student an opportunity to "learn to loosen up while preserving your love of detail." Instructor Kathy Hill, who specializes in paintings of the Spanish Peaks and surrounding area, welcomes students of all levels of experience. She will address basic techniques, composition, values and color temperatures.
Kathy believes that watercolor′s natural spontaneity can free you to enjoy the serendipitous while manipulating the medium to your own purposes. Her work has won many awards and is in both private and corporate collections. Kathy received her degree in Art Education from American University in Washington, DC. Class will be held at The La Veta School of the Arts--across from the town park in La Veta. For more information call 719-989-0339, e-mail LaVetaArtSchool@yahoo.com or check our website www.theLVSA.org. Cost is $185. An optional $15 materials fee must be paid (to instructor) two weeks in advance.
Gardner briefs
GARDNER- The Gardner Methodist Church will be holding services on the first Sunday of each month at 9 am.
The Gardner Chuckwagon will be held August 7.
Gardner School Registration will be Wed. Aug. 18; school starts Mon. Aug. 23.
Local Governments will Receive $358 Million Payments to counties by June 29
WASHINGTON, DC- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that more than 1,850 local governments around the nation will receive payments totaling $358.1 million under the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program this year to compensate them for non-taxable federal land in their jurisdictions.
“Although there was a slight delay in payments this year, local governments will receive their funds by June 29,” Secretary Salazar said. “We deeply appreciate the support these communities provide federal lands and disbursing this money before the counties’ fiscal year begins helps them budget for essential services, such as firefighting and emergency response, and allows for additional improvements to school, road and water systems.”
The 2010 payment amounts were delayed because of late reporting by some entities and the complexity of evaluating prior year payment amounts authorized by the Mineral Leasing Act and the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. Each of these statutes and the PILT statute include requirements that impact the development of county payment amounts under a multi-factor formula.
This year’s PILT program is funded at full entitlement levels under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which enacted a five-year
authorization for full funding of the PILT program. The Interior Department collects about $4 billion in revenue annually from commercial activities on federal lands, such as oil and gas leasing, livestock grazing and timber harvesting.
A portion of these revenues are shared with states and counties in the form of revenue-sharing payments. The balance is deposited in the U.S.
Treasury, which in turn pays for a broad array of federal activities, including PILT funding to counties. Payment eligibility is reserved for local governments (usually counties) that contain nontaxable federal lands and provide government services related to public safety, housing, social services, transportation and the environment.
Using a formula provided in statute, the annual PILT payments to local governments are computed based on the number of acres of federal entitlement land within each county or jurisdiction and the population within that county or jurisdiction. The lands include the National Forest and National Park Systems, those managed by the Bureau of Land Management, those affected by Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation water resource development projects, and others.
Individual county payments may vary from the prior year as a result of changes in acreage data, which is updated yearly by the federal agency administering the land, and population data, which is updated using data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
For purposes of calculating the 2010 payment, the per acre amounts are adjusted for inflation from the 2009 payment of $2.37 per acre and thirty-three cents per acre to $2.40 and thirty-three cents per acre, and the population variables are adjusted from $63.68 - $159.18 to $64.56 - $161.38 per capita. The 2010 payment will fund the authorized level of $358.4 million. This includes $400,000 for program administration.
The computation also adjusts the payment for the level of prior-year revenue payments and the amount that a county receives under Sections 6904
and 6905 of the PILT Act. Revenue payments are federal payments made to local governments under programs other than PILT during the previous year.
These include those made under the Refuge Revenue Sharing Fund, the National Forest Fund, the Taylor Grazing Act, the Mineral Leasing Act, the
Federal Power Act, and the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. Sections 6904 and 6905 provide additional payments for additions to the National Park System and National Forest Wilderness areas.
As a result of increases in Forest Service timber and Mineral Leasing Act payments, reductions in PILT entitlement land, expiration of section 6904/5
payments and payments falling below the $100 threshold, the total 2010 PILT payments to the following twenty-eight states will be lower than their 2009 payment: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
A complete list of funding by state is online at http://www.doi.gov/pilt. The county by county breakdown is online at
http://www.nbc.gov/pilt/pilt/search.cfm | | Obituary- Nancy Barela | 08 - July - 2010Nancy G. Barela
11/09/1951 ~ 06-24-2010
Nancy G. Barela, 58, of Augusta, Georgia went to be with the Lord on June 24, 2010. She was born in Walsenburg, Colorado on November 9, 1951.
After following her husband in his military career, the family set..
| 08 - July - 2010Nancy G. Barela
11/09/1951 ~ 06-24-2010
Nancy G. Barela, 58, of Augusta, Georgia went to be with the Lord on June 24, 2010. She was born in Walsenburg, Colorado on November 9, 1951.
After following her husband in his military career, the family settled in Augusta where Nancy worked for JC Penney over 20 years. Nancy had great love and devotion to our Lord and all her family. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was dearly loved by all whose lives she touched.
Nancy is survived by her beloved husband Bob; beloved sons Rick and Rob (Rebecca) Barela; adored grandchildren whom she loved dearly, Jessica and Christopher Barela. She is also survived by her brother Leroy (Sue) Valdez; sisters Rosemary Bellah, Orlena Montoya and Louise (Bob) Steffani; brothers and sisters-in-law Jim, Gene and Dan (Vela) Barela, Dave (Teresa) Sanchez, Cathy (John) Jasdzewski, Doris (Jim Gonzales) Barela of Las Vegas, NV, Stella (Hugh) French, Helen Barela; and numerous nephews, nieces, and other relatives.
Nancy is preceded in death by her parents Oscar and Rose Valdez; in-laws Joe and Stella Barela, Henry Montoya, Walter Bellah, Lawrence, Lorraine and Martha Barela; nephew Danny Steffani; nieces Orlena Montoya, Jamie Bobian and Alysa Rodriguez.
Services were held June 29, 2010 in Augusta Georgia. | | Violent sexual predator returns to Walsenburg | 08 - July - 2010Staff Report
WALSENBURG- He’s back and he’s not alone. There are 16 adult sexually violent predators (SVP) and one juvenile SVP registered and living in Walsenburg. Frank Gallegos is one of them. Gallegos is also one of 10,966 registered SVPs living in C..
| 08 - July - 2010Staff Report
WALSENBURG- He’s back and he’s not alone. There are 16 adult sexually violent predators (SVP) and one juvenile SVP registered and living in Walsenburg. Frank Gallegos is one of them. Gallegos is also one of 10,966 registered SVPs living in Colorado in 2010.
According to police documents, Gallegos was convicted of an attempted sexual assault on a child in 2003. He served three years in prison following his conviction in 2004. He was released from prison and placed on parole in May 2007.
Gallegos lived in Pueblo while on parole. He was released from that status recently and moved back to Walsenburg where he registered with the Walsenburg Police Department on June 23. He currently resides at 420 Ysidrio in Walsenburg.
The conviction stemmed from a party where he supplied underaged females with alcohol and other drugs and then began sexually assaulting them as part of a gang initiation. Gallegos is a member of the Los Carnales, East Side Dukes and the Surenos 13 street gangs. He was also convicted of witness tampering in the case.
In a public notification meeting held at the Spanish Peaks Library on June 28, Interim Police Chief James Chamberlain, Deputy District Attorney Geoff Wasson and Walsenburg Police Lieutenant John Rodriguez informed members of the public who were in attendance about Gallegos. The meeting was held in accordance with Colorado statutes.
According to Sande Hawley-Grano, who is program director for rural areas at the Spanish Peaks Mental Health Center, most sexual predators have been abused. “In the case of Gallegos, as with many other sexually violent predators, there was real physical abuse, violence that puts people on this kind of path.... This is not a mental illness such as paranoia or schizophrenia or even depression. And it cannot be cured.”
Ninety percent of predators are male and heterosexual. They may act out their sexual fantasies an average of 850 times in their lifetime. And each time the predator returns to the same fantasy with the same modus operandi.
Many known predators are restricted and must stay away from places where likely victims may be, such as schools or parks. However Gallegos has not been placed on any restrictions. And like Gallegos, many SVPs have to stay registered with local and state police for the rest of their lives.
During the course of the meeting it was pointed out that the public notification is to enhance public safety and protection. Any harassment, threats or intimidations directed toward offenders, their significant others or the community notification team is criminal behavior.
Here is an partial list of sites that will help concerned residents in Walsenburg access the list of registered sex offenders.
The Denver Post maintains a list that was last updated on June 28. Go to denverpost.com. Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and find the data center. Click the line item labeled Colorado Sex Offenders. When the locate page appears, scroll to the zip code box and enter the zip code and indicate a number of miles around the zip code and click search. This site lists all of the sex offenders registered in the 81089 area.
This article states that there are 16 sexually violent predators registered in Walsenburg. The Denver Post site lists a total of 26 sexual offenders residing within five miles of the 81089 area. This number includes the violent offenders.
Another site is the State of Colorado site found at sor.state.co.us. To find the offenders, a first and last name is needed. The Denver Post lists the offenders’ names which can then be used to get into the state’s registry.
Citizens may also call the Walsenburg Police Department at 738-1056. Lieutenant John Rodriguez is the officer to contact with questions. For Huerfano County, concerned parties can call the Sheriff’s office at 738-1600. | | RE-1 hires new Superintendent | 08 - July - 2010by Jaye Sudar
WALSENBURG-The special board meeting held on Tuesday was swift and to the point. The main purpose of the meeting was to formally hire Dawn Olson. The board is awaiting a final contract for her that will be drawn up by the district′s lawyers.
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| 08 - July - 2010by Jaye Sudar
WALSENBURG-The special board meeting held on Tuesday was swift and to the point. The main purpose of the meeting was to formally hire Dawn Olson. The board is awaiting a final contract for her that will be drawn up by the district′s lawyers.
The board approved two resolutions to do with the 2010-2011 budget and carried out routine business. The most lively discussion concerned various items in the accounts payable. Questions were asked concerning miscellaneous items that were unclear as well as equipment bills for copiers, cell phones and lawyer fees. The board asked for clarification at the next meeting on several of these items. The next board meeting will be on July 13th and the major topic will be school uniforms. | | Population in Walsenburg, County, dwindling | | 17 - June - 2010HUERFANO- According to the 2009 draft from the State Demography Office of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, the City of Walsenburg and Huerfano County continue to lose population. The estimates, once finalized, will be the basis for the distribution ..
| 17 - June - 2010HUERFANO- According to the 2009 draft from the State Demography Office of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, the City of Walsenburg and Huerfano County continue to lose population. The estimates, once finalized, will be the basis for the distribution of Conservation Trust Fund lottery funds. Local governments will have 30 days to review figures and make any challenges.
According to the figures the City of Walsenburg is down to 3,199 residents and the County is standing at 6,912. These are drops from around 4,000 for the city and near 8,000 for the county from 2000.
The census is being done this year but those figures probably won’t be available for 18 months.
Hippie Days is not dead in Gardner. Danielle Seawell said previous comments from one of the previous organizers was not a decision by the entire group. The event has been growing but concerns have also gone up. The commissioners asked that a report be given to them on what measures they are taking to make sure security, health & sanitation issues, insurance and more are going to be handled. The event was begun as a big community block party but people are now coming in from Pueblo and other areas. Seawell feels that a bigger committee will need to take on this event to handle the growth and other issues in the future. Since the main location of the Hippie Days is on county property, the above issues are a concern to commissioners. They expressed appreciation that Seawell was addressing some of those concerns. Hippie Days is scheduled for July 30th and 31st.
The closing of the prison means less money for the county to be able to donate for local causes and events from monies they received through the Prison Authority Meeting. The Commissioners will have a special meeting of the Prison Authority Board to see if funds are available to donate money for the 2010 Fireworks Display planned by the Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center and Dave Manzanares has requested an additional $2000 for the softball and volleyball programs this year | | No Bad Vibes free music fest | | 04 - June - 2010GARDNER- Two days of Music, Entertainment, Food, Arts and a Tie Dye Block Party, all at no charge. Bring the means to sample scrumptious foods and unique art. Fantastic fun for all ages and families. Live music from national bands and local musicians on t..
| 04 - June - 2010GARDNER- Two days of Music, Entertainment, Food, Arts and a Tie Dye Block Party, all at no charge. Bring the means to sample scrumptious foods and unique art. Fantastic fun for all ages and families. Live music from national bands and local musicians on two stages, plus, the Fair of Ideas. "Eclectic Exuberance" is how this festival has been described. This event takes place each year in the rural community of Gardner, CO in the Community Center and Fairgrounds at the foot of the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountain range on Hwy 69, dubbed the ′Highway of Love′ by the transplants who arrived here during the 1960′s.
This gathering is in celebration of our achievements locally and globally as people of one world and many tribes. It is our opportunity to come together and share our wares and tell our stories, offer one another support and make new relationships. We stand together as one community and invite all comers to join us in a festival of life and the bounty that this life has afforded us. Come and learn from our example and share yours with us. Through this exchange we will learn to respect one another and to care for our community and our neighbors and by extension the surrounding community of the world. By this we hope to leave our children an improved and more sustainable community.
Join us or regret missing one of the greatest events to happen in Colorado.
Performers include, others TBA:
Friday July 30, 4 pm - 11 pm
• Brat Headz – Aztec, NM
• Jim Fowler Jam – Gardner, CO
• Pat Willis – Silver Cliff, CO
• DNA – La Veta, CO
• Family Juls – Pueblo, CO
• Sunnyside Ups – La Veta, CO
Saturday July 31, 11 am - 11 pm
• Clark Dimond – Red Wing, CO
• Aztlan Drum Group – Gardner, CO
• Izzy Zane – Santa Fe, NM
• Jaquie Gipson – Trinidad, CO
• Silver Eagle Band – Walsenburg, CO
• Groove Farmers – Salida, CO
• Planet O Band - Unknown Universe
• Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes – New Orleans, LA | | Obituary- Lawrence Tubby Noga | | 20 - May - 2010 Lawrence “Tubby” Noga went to be with the Lord on May 7, 2010 after a long hard fought illness. He was preceded in death by his parents Albert and Antonia Noga and by brothers, Donald (Jolene) Noga, Patrick (Maryann) Noga; and sister Alberta Relic. He ..
| 20 - May - 2010 Lawrence “Tubby” Noga went to be with the Lord on May 7, 2010 after a long hard fought illness. He was preceded in death by his parents Albert and Antonia Noga and by brothers, Donald (Jolene) Noga, Patrick (Maryann) Noga; and sister Alberta Relic. He is survived by his loving wife Susan; children, Rodney (Deanna) Noga, Ashley (Eddie) Partin and Rochelle (Tom) Ross; his beloved grandchildren, Alyson, Zachary, Jordan, Paige and Caitlin; his siblings, Frank (Denise) Noga, Geraldine Boyd, Annette (Larry) Ruiz, Marjie (Dave) Mowrer, Beverly (Robert) Baudino, Donna Noga and Debbie (Steve) Raymer; many nieces and nephews and his special “other wife and care giver” Robin.
Tubby was born in 1937 in Rouse, Colorado. He was one of twelve children. Tubby graduated from St Mary High School in 1955 and joined the Navy. In 1965 he went to work for CF & I Steel Mill in Pueblo, CO. He worked there for 35 years.
Tubby was an active athlete with everything from football, fastball, bowling and of course his passion of golf. He loved spending time at the golf course showing the young ones how he could scramble and beat them all day long. He held the club championship title eight different times then his best buddy Gary Vezzani took it from him.
Other than his golf his favorite time of the year was hunting season. His hunting buddies Joey Walecheck, Randy Bevsek and Patrick Noga (nephew), brother Frank and his beloved son Rodney were his partners in crime at that time of the year with loads of card games and horseshoe tournaments. He and Frank had numerous fishing battles which Tubby always won because he cheated.
Rosary and Mass is at 10 am, St Mary Church in Walsenburg on May 13. Reception to follow at the Walsenburg Golf Course. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Walsenburg Golf Course in his name. | | Obituary- Betty Dasko | 20 - May - 2010Betty Louise Dasko
12-31-1923 ~ 05-04-2010
Betty Louise Dasko of Walsenburg passed away on May 4, 2010 at Walsenburg’s Spanish Peaks Hospital. Betty was born December 31, 1923 in Delcarbon, CO Mining Camp to H.O. and Mamie Marie Long. She is preceede..
| 20 - May - 2010Betty Louise Dasko
12-31-1923 ~ 05-04-2010
Betty Louise Dasko of Walsenburg passed away on May 4, 2010 at Walsenburg’s Spanish Peaks Hospital. Betty was born December 31, 1923 in Delcarbon, CO Mining Camp to H.O. and Mamie Marie Long. She is preceeded in death by her husband Mike Dasko, her parents, three sisters, one grandson and one great grandson. Betty is survived by two sons, Gary M. Dasko, George H. (Christine) Dasko; and one daughter, Marcia L. Dasko; nine grandchildren, Daniel (Christina) Dasko, Karen (Robert) Torres, Tyson (Jessica) Dasko, Odin T. (Bethany) Dasko, Shona (Donald) Trujillo, Gabriel (Heidi) Dasko, Jennifer (Greg) Garrison, Michael (Shelby) Dasko and Jared (Mary) Watkins. She is also survived by 28 great grandchildren, 4 great great grandchildren, 4 sisters, Margaret, Helen, Lois, and Patricia and one brother, James.
Betty was a long time member of the American Legion and River Round Up Chapter of the FCE, Eastern Star, Rebekas, Cow Belles and numerous other clubs and organizations for may years in Walsenburg.
Services will be held May 19, 10 am at the St. Benedict Episcopal Church, 113 Field St. in La Veta, Colorado. The services will be performed by the Rev. Lyn Burns, Vicar of St. Benedict Church.
Betty requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Benedict Episcopal Church, PO Box 1186, La Veta, CO, 81055 | | Obituary - Charles Siegfriend Sporleder, Jr. | 19 - May - 2010
Sig Sporleder “graduates”
HUERFANO- Charles Siegfried Sporleder Jr., 88, passed away May 12, 2010 surrounded by his family. The term, “graduate” is a gentle family joke, that a loved one has completed all their studies in this life, and has graduated on..
| 19 - May - 2010
Sig Sporleder “graduates”
HUERFANO- Charles Siegfried Sporleder Jr., 88, passed away May 12, 2010 surrounded by his family. The term, “graduate” is a gentle family joke, that a loved one has completed all their studies in this life, and has graduated on to heaven. It is significant that May 12 was his beloved wife’s birthday to whom he remained devoted in the 22 years since her death.
Sig was born December 19, 1921 in the family home, 114 East Cedar in Walsenburg, Colorado, and was baptized at the Episcopal Church on 5th Street in Walsenburg. He was raised in Huerfano County, and graduated from Huerfano County High School in 1940. He attended Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, and then continued his education in industrial management at the University of Denver until World War II interrupted his studies in April 1943. He proudly served in the European Theater as a Master Supply Sergeant/ Quarter Master with the 124th Quartermaster Company, Service Group (Aviation) in the ground forces of the 8th Air Force under Curtis Lemay. He was in charge of 45 men.
After the war, he returned home and bought the feed and flour end of the Sporleder Selling Company, which his grandfather, Louis B. Sporleder, Sr., helped found in 1894. The business, Sig Sporleder Feeds, was further expanded in 1969 with the purchase of the Walsenburg Feed Mill. Sig was an astute businessman, who knew how to run a business in a fair and honest fashion. Special customers and friends knew if they dropped by, he was always happy to talk to them, or give them a pull from the bottle he kept behind the counter during the holiday season.
An active cattle rancher, he ran a herd near the East Spanish Peak in the summertime on the family ranch, and wintered the cattle on his Huerfano River ranch.
Sig met the love of his life, Ruth Henry, in the autumn of 1953, and they married three months later on Dec. 29. They remained partners for life both before and after Ruth’s death in 1988.
Sig won the respect of everyone he met with his good natured ribbing and friendly personality. “Son” was a greeting he used for every male older and younger than him. To him, each person was special. As an example of his ability to accept people for who they were, he earned the respect of the local hippie communities in the 1960’s and 70’s doing business with them when others wouldn’t. Sig was once called as a character witness for a hippie family friend, where he brought the courtroom to a standstill when he openly admitted to selling him grass seed. Sig promptly corrected himself- “Not THAT kind of grass seed!”
He was a great man; fair and honest in all his dealings, with a strong moral sense of right and wrong. He helped countless youngsters get started in agriculture, providing special feeds for their 4-H projects and purchasing their animals at the county fair. In 2000, he and his son Eric received the Outstanding Conservationist of the Year-Ranch Division Award from the Colorado Association of Soil Conservation Districts. On May 8, 2010, he was named the Outstanding Citizen of Huerfano County by the Colorado State Republicans.
Sig was proud that his grandfather helped establish Walsenburg in the 1870s. He never considered settling anywhere else but in Walsenburg, his true "home." He truly loved the people in his hometown.
He loved the mountains, and his beloved Spanish Peaks, enjoying many family excursions on the family properties there.
Sig was preceded in death by the love of his life, Ruth Henry Sporleder; his sisters Virginia “Gege” (Malin) Anderson and Geraldine “Gerry” Sporleder; a granddaughter, Allison Todd; and his mother and father, Gertrude and Carl Sporleder.
He is survived by his children, Karin (John) Niedfeldt of Salida, CO; Eric (Alice) Sporleder of Walsenburg, CO; Ingrid (Danny) Todd of Magnolia, TX; Gretchen (Brian) Orr of Walsenburg, CO; and Karl (Debi) Sporleder of Walsenburg, CO. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Laura Kness of Greeley, CO, Amanda (Sam) Parker, of Beswick, Australia; Matthew Chapman, of Loveland, CO; Anne and Chay Sporleder of Walsenburg, CO; Warren Todd of Magnolia, TX; Ruth, Conor, Thomas and Liam Orr of Walsenburg, CO; James (Kristina) Parks of Fort Worth, TX; Kristin Parks, of McPherson, KS; Tyler Parks, DeBeque, CO; seven great grandchildren and one more great grandchild on the way, due in October 2010.
Sig is also survived by his sister-in-law, Trudy Henry of Dodge City, KS; nieces and nephews, Alan (Claudia) Anderson of Salem, OR; Marilyn (Ray) Anderson, Sandy, UT; and Chuck (Tami) Anderson of South Jordan, UT; and Jim (Stephanie) Anderson of Ontario, CA; Jan Scoggins and Dana Howard, of Dodge City KS; Linda Bush of Merriam, KS; Barbara Henry Besser of Colby, KS; Miriam Henry-Weidemeyer and Lorin E. Smith, both of Kansas City, MO; Bob (Cathy) Underwood, Topeka, KS; Kathy Wichern, McKinney, TX; Anne Dobney of Missoula, MT, and their children and grandchildren.
Sig is also survived by numerous cousins, including Peggy and Bob Meyer, Elaine Levy Lenzini, Katie Gornick Levy, Suellen Levy and Anne Levy all of Walsenburg, CO; Carla Turner, of Calhan CO, and their children and grandchildren.
Funeral plans are set for Sunday, May 23rd, 12:30 pm at the United Church in Walsenburg, with a celebration of his life to follow at the Huerfano County Community Center. There will be a potluck meal and ample time to share memories, which will be collected and compiled into a booklet for family and friends. All those wishing to share their special memories of Sig are asked to mail them or bring them by the Huerfano World Journal office, 500 Main St, Walsenburg, 81089 or email them to gretchen.orr@gmail.com.
For more information call Debi (989-1501) or the Huerfano World Journal (738-1415). Funeral information will also be posted on the newspaper website: www.huerfanojournal.com.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Sig and Ruth Sporleder Scholarship Fund, PO Box 642, Walsenburg, CO 81089 which will be used to assist students interested in pursuing careers in agriculture. | | Huerfano County one of the lowest in health in Colorado | 28 - February - 2010by Larry Patrick
WALSENBURG- Huerfano County is ranked 55th in the state in health criteria. The new study released this week will show several factors including how people look at health issues and what they do about them.
Mary Garcia, the Las Animas..
| 28 - February - 2010by Larry Patrick
WALSENBURG- Huerfano County is ranked 55th in the state in health criteria. The new study released this week will show several factors including how people look at health issues and what they do about them.
Mary Garcia, the Las Animas and Huerfano County Health Care Director said the nationwide study on county health care in the nation came up with the figures but it is not certain who was talked to and what kind of questions were asked. Her department was not consulted. She figured that maybe doctors or other health care officials were contacted. The Univ. of Wisconsin put the figures together. The question being asked is whether the wealthiest counties in a state are the healthiest? Also whether counties with more primary care providers have healthier citizens? How important is having access to healthy foods, diabetic screening, effects of binge drinking, tobacco use and obesity along with graduation rates are also looked at factors linked to health.
People can go to www.countyhealthrankings.org for more information. Garcia said Huerfano County has some excellent medical facilities but that many people do not take advantage of the opportunities here which could give them better health.
She said she would study the information being released this week and give a report to the Huerfano County Commissioners on what can be done to improve health care in the county. | |
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