All posts by sentineladmin

2023, Uncategorized

Meet Custer County’s New VSO Officer

by Fred Hernandez


“I am a veteran helping veterans. End of story.”
With that simple, yet firm statement the newly appointed Custer County Veteran Service Officer introduces himself and his mission. Dominic Edginton, twenty-two year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, an extensively trained specialist in various aspects of military medical services including dentistry and EMT operations, is eminently qualified to navigate the intricate labyrinth of the Veterans Benefits Administration. Continue reading Meet Custer County’s New VSO Officer →

2023, Uncategorized

Coroner Baltzly : Powered Stretcher Donation

by George Gramlich

Custer County Coroner Brad Baltzly demonstrates “new” power stretcher

A little investigative work proved to be a gold mine for our Coroner’s Office and Custer County. Recently, our Coroner, Brad Baltzly, was looking around for a power stretcher that would allow the Coroner’s Office to move bodies via a stretcher with wheels rather than with body bags. These mechanical stretchers have wheels so they can be moved easily and also have retractable legs allowing for easy delivery of the stretcher with the body into the transport vehicle (a pick up truck). The problem is that these powered stretchers are very, very expensive and the lowest quote Brad got was around $48,000. At the last Board of County Commissioners meeting in Wetmore, Brad reviewed the status with the commissioners.
Now, a few weeks later, we received this email from Brad the other day and it was some real good news:
“At the commissioners meeting in Wetmore, Commissioner Day advised me that he had spoken with the fire chief in Florence
and was told they had recently updated all their
stretchers in their ambulances in Florence. As you know, the Coroners Office here has been operating without the luxury of having a stretcher of any kind. I immediately contacted Bill Ritter, chief of Florence Fire and ambulance. He told me they had updated their equipment and I explained our lack of. He was kind enough to offer me, free of charge, two standard stretchers and one power stretcher. They are older models and the power stretcher was not operational, but with a little work I was able to make it functional. It’s now working well and the Custer County Coroner’s Office is now much better equipped than before. I would like to publicly thank Chief Ritter for his generosity and I will be personally sending him a thank you letter. I also want to thank all our community members who were willing to support my efforts to get new equipment for my office.

Sincerely, Brad Baltzly Custer County Coroner

Brad saved the county $48,000. Good job, sir.

2023, BOCC, Uncategorized

BOCC Sept 6: County Manager, County Manager, County Manager

by George Gramlich, News and Commentary

The September 6, 2023 Custer County Board of County Commissioners meeting started at 1 p.m. in the their offices in the Annex Building. All three commissioners were there: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and Lucas Epp.
In Commissioners Items, Canda said a Cessna airplane crashed when landing at the SilverWest Airport due to high winds. There were no injuries but the front of the plane was heavily damaged.
Public Comments from the packed gallery continued to center around the County Manager (CM) debacle. Joy Anderson spoke saying that a group of local citizens are forming an “investigation committee” that will seek to determine what actually happened with Day’s County Manager rush job and they want to find the “facts”. She asked the commissioners to formally recognize the committee and asked them to ask the County Clerk to help them get all the “records”. Continue reading BOCC Sept 6: County Manager, County Manager, County Manager →

2023, BOCC, Uncategorized

BOCC: Day Doubles Down on Paying Wilson $50k for Five Days Work

by George Gramlich
News and Commentary
Another wild one at the August 31, 2023 Custer County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting in their throne room in the old VSO office. All three commissioners were present: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and Lucas Epp. The meeting started at 9 a.m. Continue reading BOCC: Day Doubles Down on Paying Wilson $50k for Five Days Work →

Uncategorized

Christopher Lutz Virden ll

Christopher Lutz Virden ll (CJ) passed away August 19, 2023. He was a loving young man with a rugged exterior and a huge, soft heart. His loyalty to family, dry sense of humor, and willingness to go the distance for his friends were just some of his wonderful virtues. He will be forever missed, and always loved. CJ is preceded in death by the man he missed most, his father, Christopher Lutz Virden, who passed away from ALS after a long and courageous fight.
CJ is survived by his mother, Niki Jacob; his younger sister, Chaney Marie Virden; grandparents William Thornton and Betty Baker Virden; Jeri and William Henkhaus; his uncle and guardian, Scott Virden, uncles and aunts, cousins; and his faithful dog, Jax.
CJ was born in Denver, Colorado, and was raised in Elbert, Parker, and Westcliffe. CJ’s fondest childhood memories were riding 4-wheelers around his home-made racetrack, playing football, camping and boating on Pueblo Reservoir, and shooting guns and his bow and arrows. CJ faced more adversity in his life than any young
adult should face. However, he had the innate ability to toughen, lean into the hardship, and become stronger. He never gave up but dug in deeper.
CJ stayed in touch with his inner child. He enjoyed goofing off, fishing, shooting off fireworks, drinking strawberry margaritas and beer, and just hanging with his boys and playing video games. He absolutely loved the outdoors and going into the backcountry in his Jeep with his dog, Jax.
CJ placed an extraordinary value on his interpersonal relationships. He loved his family dearly and cherished every moment he spent with friends. He dearly loved his sister Chaney and looked after her always. He found refuge bonding online with his video gaming buddies Nik, Jett, Cory, and Derek in the odd hours of the night.
CJ’s greatest gift was the size of his heart. Under his stoic exterior was an incredibly huge, soft, and unselfish spirit. He generously gave himself to others under any circumstances and was always thoughtful and introspective with his friends and family in times of need. He would creatively think of new and unique ways to challenge each person to become a better person and face adversity with grit. These attributes generated the deep respect of his friends and endeared him to his family. His friends and family dearly love CJ, and they will take a part of CJ wherever they go.
It is interesting to note that his family found a journal in his belongings that he had written just weeks prior to his death; CJ was questioning and seeking out God.
CJ faithfully served our wonderful country in the 1st Battalion 38th Infantry 3rd Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He also served as a Junior Firefighter at Wet Mountain Fire Department.
On Friday, September 1st, a traditional Rosary will be at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Westcliffe, CO, at 5:30 p.m. At 7:30, we will meet at Tony’s Pizza to share stories of his life. Saturday, September 2nd, Funeral Mass at 10:30 at Assumption Catholic Church in Westcliffe, CO, with Interment following at Westcliffe Catholic Cemetery. Lunch for all at the Westcliffe Fire Department after both services at approximately
1 p.m. All are welcome.

2023, BOCC, Uncategorized

Wilson, Day and the Fruit Tree in the Garden

by George Gramlich, Some News, Mostly Commentary

Sept 1, 2023

Apparently, right after last Wednesday’s Custer County Board of County Commissioners Special Meeting, where com-missioners Bill Canda and Lucas Epp voted to rescind the Resolution that created the despised County Manager (CM) position, which in turn, immediately terminated the CM, Braden Wilson, anointed by commissioner Kevin Day and ex-commissioner Tommy “Bye Bye” Flower just the week before, something strange happened.
From what we have been told, right after the meeting ended, the
county’s new Finance Manager handed Wilson, who was just terminated, a Custer County check for $54,000! Yes, Fifty Four Thousand U.S. Dollars! Not a bad pay check for a guy WHO ONLY WORKED FIVE DAYS AS THE COUNTY MANAGER! Yup, FIVE Days. Smell bad, fellow taxpayers?  It stinks. Continue reading Wilson, Day and the Fruit Tree in the Garden →

2023, Uncategorized

SilverWest AirFest: An Amazing Day

by Nora Kamholz

SilverWest Airfest 2023
by Nora Kamholz

The SilverWest Annual AirFest that took place this past Saturday 13th, was an inspirational event filled with a wide array of vintage planes, aerial displays and incredible people. This has been an annual event for the last 20 years. This year, there were a total of 32 planes on display from all over Colorado. An estimated 1,000 people (including a great deal of kids) attended both the AirFest and the free pancake breakfast.

The breakfast, provided by volunteers from the community served over 1,000 pancakes. Volunteers, including SilverWest Airport manager Clyde Butler,
says that this is by far their biggest year yet with every year seeing more and more people attending and participating in the AirFest.
A couple of the most notable planes found among the many different aircrafts on display at the AirFest, were two RV aircraft (short for Van’s Aircraft) and an old war bird T6 Texan from World War II that participated in several fly-by aerial formations. There were also many other notable aircraft like a high-speed Fouga jet, a Kodiak aircraft, Comanches, Cessnas and others. Several helicopters and other aircraft offered free flights to people throughout the day.
Including the onlookers of the event, the AirFest also hosted a wide range of pilots from casual fliers to veteran pilots, many of whom participated in aerial formations and displays. Among the different pilots attending and participating in the event, Gary Grub, with 46 years of flying experience, flew an RV-8 aircraft (one of the many big hits of the day.) A veteran of the Air Force, Grub loves everything about flying, from the speed and the height to the freedom it gives him. When asked what he enjoys about participating in the AirFest, he replied that he enjoys promoting general aviation and inspiring the people
attending.
One of the interesting individuals attending was Steve Janssen, museum curator of the Southern Colorado Space Museum & Learning Center which has it’s collection on loan at the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum. Beginning with a small personal collection 13 years ago, Janssen is now in charge of a collection of artifacts worth millions of dollars. By attending the AirFest, Janssen enjoys  sharing and promoting knowledge of space and aviation and hopes to eventually house Southern Colorado Space Museum & Learning Center – Custer County  at SilverWest Airport Terminal.
In summary, the SilverWest Annual AirFest was an amazing event. Along with getting to view a wide variety of vintage aircrafts and watching impressive aerial formations and displays, it was also a great event to meet interesting people from all around the country. The AirFest is a great event for individuals and families to share their appreciation and knowledge of flying with fellow pilots and admirers.

2023, Uncategorized

Round Mountain Water Waste Treatment Update: Catch 22

Round Mountain Water Waste Treatment Update
Catch 22 Continues to Hold Up New Taps.
State Bureaucracy the Problem

by Fred Hernandez
The ongoing debacle of the sewer system problems of the Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District is just beginning to heat up. All the delays, through no fault whatsoever of the District, can be attributed to constantly changing rules and never-ending State and Federal bureaucracies. This report attempts to simplify the complex problems currently facing the District.
The District’s antiquated wastewater treatment system need to be totally upgraded to the tune of many millions of dollars. Proposed solutions are estimated to cost over 14 million dollars. This is far beyond the financial ability of the District and it’s constituents to install or operate. The District must find a treatment system that is both effective and affordable.
The most cost effective design for discharging reclaimed water from the treatment facility is to divert to Grape Creek that runs nearby. However, the Federal government declared Grape Creek as “impaired” due to excess nutrient loading causing harmful algae blooms in Lake DeWeese. This has caused the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to impose excessively stringent limits on any reclaimed water discharge, leading to the need for a very complex and expensive treatment system. This pollution could be cleaned up, but the state will not do so.
The District has researched other means of effluent disposal, but stream water discharge is the only option available. Initial treatment designs were estimated to cost around six million dollars and initially, the District was successful in receiving over $3,500,000 in grants and $2,500,000 in low interest loans. However, as rules and limits were changed, the redesigned plant cost skyrocketed to
over $14,000,000.
The District has by now spent over $675,000 on engineering, geotech work and other expenses related to the long-protracted study of the possible solutions to the ongoing problem. Their resources are depleted, and money is now needed badly.
After realizing that the traditional solution for wastewater treatment was unaffordable, District management has been conducting extensive studies and research of a new treatment technology that is currently not approved by CDPHE, known as the Powell Water Microalgae System. The new system testing has been proven on a small scale and would only cost $3 – 4 million to install.
CDPHE acknowledges the success but requires further proof on a larger scale. That requires funding which the District does not have. All these efforts have led to a catch 22 situation as the District does not have the funds available to construct a large-scale pilot study unless Federal grants and loans can be used, and those grants and loans are only available after the treatment system is approved by CDPHE.
What is urgently needed to move forward from this impasse is clearly that the state needs to assign an amount of funding designated as low interest loans to entities that can do research and design the necessary technologies to solve some of these problems faced by not only Round Mountain, but by many other counties and municipalities throughout the state. RMWSD has done everything within its power to try and meet the standards of the state. However, without the needed funding, there is little more that can be done to alleviate the situation at this time.

2023, Uncategorized

Valley Strong Community Dinner September 14th

Event: 4 – 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 14th

This will be the seventh year for the Valley Strong Community Dinner on Main Street. Hundreds of community members have gathered for the previous events to celebrate their love of the Valley and to meet or reconnect with their neighbors while enjoying an old-fashioned community dinner in the middle of town.
The Valley Strong team provides outdoor seating, eight to a table, with community members registering as either a table hosts or indicating that you’d like to join a table. Each host will organize who will join them at their table as well as coordinate their menu.
Registration is open now at valleystrong.us and the event is free and will be held rain or shine.
To sign up to host a table or to join a table, visit valley
strong.us or for more information, email info@valleystrong.us.

2023, Uncategorized

Algea bloom warning for Lake DeWeese

—August 7, 2023
Colorado Parks &Wildlife
WESTCLIFFE, Colo. – A growing bloom of toxic blue-green algae at DeWeese Reservoir State Wildlife Area prompted Colorado Parks and Wildlife to warn the public to avoid contact with the water.
“Algae has become a seasonal problem at DeWeese, forcing CPW in recent summers to close the water to all activity except fishing to prevent the risk of exposure to humans and their pets,” said CPW District Wildlife Manager Justin Krall. “This year, the algae bloom was delayed. But now it’s happening and people need to take precautions.”
“The algae can be harmful to people and pets if touched. It can give sensitive people a bad rash, for example. And it’s possibly fatal if ingested.”
Signs are posted at the reservoir by CPW warning visitors to avoid the water and explaining the danger of the algae blooms.
The signs warn people to keep kids and pets out of the water at risk of death from the toxic algae. The signs warn people not to drink the water and no water recreation including swimming, skiing, paddle-boarding and wading.
If anyone or their pet comes into contact with the algae, the signs urge them to shower immediately with fresh, clean water.
The warning was prompted after testing found dangerous levels of toxicity in the water and elevated levels of algae were observed in a turquoise-colored film on the reservoir.
“You can still fish during an algae bloom,” Krall said. “But there should be no skin-to-water contact.
“It’s also important to take care when handling and cleaning any fish caught in DeWeese. Toxins accumulate in the liver and guts of fish. So it’s important any fish taken is properly cleaned and thoroughly cooked before eating it.”
Algae blooms are common when temperatures rise, usually in late summer, he said. CPW has been monitoring the reservoir closely, taking weekly water samples to check for elevated toxicity.
DeWeese Reservoir SWA is a 300-acre property near Westcliffe with good fishing. Other forms of recreation still allowed at the SWA include: picnicking, hiking, wildlife viewing and camping.
Algae are an important part of aquatic food webs, but some types of blue-green algae are capable of producing toxins that may cause negative health impacts for humans and pets at elevated concentrations. Currently there is no method to remove toxins from lakes.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) recommends the following:
• Keep kids out
• No pets in water
• Do not drink water
• Avoid contact with algae
• If exposed, shower immediately
More information on blue-green algae is available on CDPHE’s website.
The public can help reduce the occurrence of blue-green algae blooms by preventing nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from entering waterways through responsible use of lawn fertilizers, picking up pet waste, and avoiding using deicers that contain urea.