by George Gramlich
Quite a lot of strange goings on in Happy Valley lately, and last week’s possible bomb threat at Lowe’s Supermarket added a new twist to the drama in our once, relatively quiet valley.
Probably the safest way to present the incident is via the Custer County Sheriff’s Office’s Press releases instead of the rampant rumor mongering that went on.
So here is Exhibit A:

Facebook: Custer County Sheriff’s Office
February 11 at 10:27 a.m.
* Developing Situation*
This morning an observant Lowes employee noticed a suspicious package sitting next to the propane tanks at the grocery store. This employee started to move the package and then decided that may be a bad idea and contacted the sheriff’s
office. A deputy and the fire department responded and determined the package was very suspicious and could possibly be an incendiary device. The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad is enroute to assist in securing the package.
At this time the grocery store is closed and main street is also closed on the west end in front of the grocery store. If you are planning to go to the bowling alley, please enter from the west side off of Adams. Closures will most likely remain in effect for a few hours until the situation is resolved.
We will provide updates as they develop.
Thank you.

So, the Sheriff’s Office blocks off “downtown” Westcliffe for hours as the Pueblo County Sheriff’s
Office bomb squad rushes to the scene. Pretty wild stuff for Westcliffe.
The Pueblo bomb boys secure the object and examine it as noted below in a subsequent press release from the Custer County

Sheriff’s Office:
Case Number 21-0088 February 16, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
On Thursday February 11, 2021, at approximately 8:00a.m. a deputy received a report of a suspicious package located by a propane exchange cage at Lowe’s Grocery Store located at 50 Main St. in Westcliffe. The responding deputy observed the package and believed it was possibly a large ariel firework.
Photographs of the item were sent to the Pueblo Metro Bomb Disposal Unit and a licensed commercial firework technician who also agreed it could be an older commercial grade aerial firework mortar. Due to the size of the device and because it could not be positively identified the Metro Bomb Disposal Unit responded to examine it further.
After the bomb technicians were able to examine and x-ray the device, they were still unable to determine what the item actually was. It was removed by the bomb disposal technicians and transported away from town and detonated in a controlled manner by Pueblo Metro Bomb Disposal Unit.
After the item was detonated with a low-grade explosive device the contents were examined by both the Colorado State Patrol Hazardous Materials Unit and the Pueblo Metro Bomb Disposal Unit it was determined the item did not contain any explosive materials.

The experts suspected that, visually, the device might have been “an older commercial grade aerial firework mortar” but “the item did not contain any explosive materials”. Visually it looked like a possible bomb. Placed next to a whole bunch of full five-gallon propane containers. Was it placed there to intimidate Lowe’s Market? Or to make a statement to the whole county for some social or political reason? Whatever the reason, the person or persons who placed the device there are sick beyond the pale and need to be brought to justice.