Phyllis Jean Lehrman, 91, was born to Howard and Lucia Havens in Newton, Kansas. Phyllis was the oldest of 13 children. She attended and graduated from Newton schools. Phyllis married Otto Lehrman on May 29, 1949. In their 74 years of marriage, she and Otto set an example for their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of what it meant to love one another deeply and in all things.
Phyllis was a homemaker and worked in the kitchen for the Newton school system while her four boys were in school. She was active in the Eagles Ladies Auxiliary while living in Newton. However, her lifelong career was caring for her husband and four sons and later her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In 1984, she and Otto retired to their home in Tanglewood Acres near Westcliffe, Colorado, where they have lived independently for the last 40 years.
Phyllis and Otto loved to travel from early on in their marriage and they enjoyed many years together traveling in their RV. Their children and grandchildren were often fortunate enough to travel with them, seeing the country and creating many memories. She loved the ocean most of all and would sit to watch the waves roll in while collecting rocks on the beach. Her love of sunsets is one shared with several of her grandchildren. Continue reading Obituary: Phyllis Jean Lehrman
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Stained Glass Windows Project Update
Photo and story from Fred Hernandez
Our Lady of the Assumption
Stained Glass Windows
Project Update:
Panel 5 installed
by Fred Hernandez
Thursday, June 1st, panel number five of twelve was installed at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church on Fifth Street in the town of Westcliffe, Custer County. The twelve panels represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Each of the tribes was founded by one of the twelve sons of Jacob. This panel is named after ISSACHAR. He was the ninth son of Jacob and founder of one of the tribes. In Hebrew this name translates to “man of reward”. The other panels already installed are the tribes of Simeon, Dan, Benjamin and Joseph.
Each panel weighs about thirty pounds and takes at least three months to complete. The work is slow and can be rather tiring, requiring a sharp eye and steady hands for the detail and precision which is of paramount importance. The team which works closely with the Master Glass Maker Douglas Bayer are all members of the parish : Catherine Virden, Debbie Yackley, Jim Potyraj, Boden Wilson and Steve Yackley.
The next panel will put this marvelous project at the halfway mark. Glory to God in the Highest.
Flower Recall Election Is a Go
Flower Recall Election Is a GO!
Judge Rules Recall Petition Valid
Slams Hedberg’s Attempt to Stop the Recall
June 7, 2023
by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
Looks like ol’ Jordy “Red Bug” Hedberg caused Custer County a LOT of money and trouble again as he tried to derail the recall campaign against Custer County Commissioner Tom Flower with a bogus complaint that caused a huge ruckus. But, in the end, thankfully, justice prevailed and a recall election against Flower will be held soon and hopefully the Flower train wreck will derail and we will have a new Commissioner. Continue reading Flower Recall Election Is a Go
May Westcliffe Town Meeting
by Becky Olson
The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees for the Town of Westcliffe was held on May 16th, 2023, and convened as scheduled at 5:30 p.m. in Patterson Hall. All Trustees were present and proceedings commenced after recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and unanimous adoption of the consent agenda.
The first item of old business was consideration of a request by Town Manager, Caleb Patterson, to modify the type of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations the town will be installing with the help of a grant from two “fast” (level 1) and two “slow” (level 2) chargers to one fast and three slow ones. The request came as a result of the increased cost of the EV chargers since the grant was originally awarded. After a fair amount of discussion, the motion passed with Mayor Wenke and Trustee Art Nordyke dissenting and voting no. Continue reading May Westcliffe Town Meeting
Class of ‘23 Scholarships
Custer County High School graduating Senior class
members accepted scholarships on Thursday evening, May 25th.The list of scholarships and recipients is below:
All photos courtesy of Mike and Donna Holt
American Legion
Marlee Foster
Ben and Weldon Rusher Memorial
Emma Rusk
Ben Kettle Memorial
Emma Rusk
Custer County Alumni
Brooke Bomgardner, Emma Rusk
Custer County Board of Commissioners
Haley Nameth
Custer County Cattlewomens
Emma Rusk
Custer County Sheriffs Office
Paige Lorenzen
Dan Riggs Memorial
Kylee Morrell, Cameron Penkoff, Emma Rusk
CCSC-1 Faculty-Staff
Brooke Bomgardner, Jonah Carichner, Weston Jones, Kylee Morrell, Haley Nameth, Emma Rusk
Fremont County Cattlemen’s Association
Emma Rusk
Jack and Ruby Geroux Memorial
Emma Rusk
Jack Slater Memorial
Joey Arnone
John and Mary Dilley Memorial
Brooke Bomgardner
Kirkpatrick Bank
Brooke Bomgardner, Jonah Carichner, Kylee Morrell,
Emma Rusk
Lighthouse Pregnancy Resources
Brooke Bomgardner, Marlee Foster, Emma Rusk
Mission Wolf
Brooke Bomgardner
Mt. Moriah Lodge
Brooke Bomgardner
PEO
Portia Arrigo
PTSO
Brooke Bomgardner, Jonah Carichner, Marlee Foster,
Kylee Morrell, Emma Rusk
Rebecca’s Fund
Haley Nameth, Cameron Penkoff
Richard and Iris Wilson Memorial
Haley Nameth
Royal Gorge Realtors Association
Haley Nameth
Sangres Art Guild
Haley Nameth
Sangre de Cristo Electric
Cameron Penkoff
United Business Bank
Brooke Bomgardner, Jonah Carichner
Wet Mountain Fire Auxiliary
Ty Bomgardner, Marlee Foster
Wet Mountain Valley Rotary
Brooke Bomgardner, Marlee Foster, Paige Lorenzen
Thank you to the Local Agencies for over$60,000 in Local Scholarships!
Congratulations Class of 2023!
Custer County Tax Workshop Tuesday June 6
Click below for pdf of agenda
Notice (1)
Venerable Silver Cliff Museum Opens
Venerable Silver Cliff Museum Opens
Built Originally In 1879 –
Now 144 Years Old
by Fred Hernandez
The versatile museum building on Main Street in Silver Cliff housed the first fire department of Custer County on the ground floor while on the second floor was the town hall. In the 1950’s the town hall moved to the yellow house on Main Street in front of the car wash until the current town hall was constructed in the mid-seventies and where the town hall is located today. Continue reading Venerable Silver Cliff Museum Opens
CDPHE Giving Round Mountain Water a Hard Time
by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
We heard some rumors lately that the Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District (RMWSD) was extending the new water tap halt till 2024. That would be bad news for the two towns but would have affected the Town of Silver Cliff a lot more. So, we contacted RMWSD to see what the skinny was. Dave Schneider, the District Manager, was kind enough to spend some time with us to get the facts and there could be a problem. Continue reading CDPHE Giving Round Mountain Water a Hard Time
May 2 & 3 BOCC- New County Attorney, SO Repair, Carsten’s Jeep
We Are So Blessed!
Two BOCC Reports in One Article
by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
Our mighty three musketeers, that is our three Custer County Commissioners held two Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meetings last week. One on May 2nd and the other on May3rd. All three muskies were present at both meetings: Chair Kevin Day and members Bill Canda and Tom Flower. Both meetings started at
9 a.m.
The May 2, 2023
BOCC Meeting:
Staff Reports:
Sheriff Rich Smith was the first victim. Smith reported that the Sheriff’s Office (SO) had a grand total of eight transports to/from the hoosegow in Cañon City. He reported that our Fremont 911 Authority costs will go up around 5% this year. Continue reading May 2 & 3 BOCC- New County Attorney, SO Repair, Carsten’s Jeep
Memorial Service For Clara Reida
Clara Mary Reida died Sunday, March 19, 2023, at her home following a lingering illness. She was 85.
Miss Reida was born May 4, 1937, in Harper, Kansas, to Arnold and Maudie May (Hundley) Reida of Rago, KS. where she was raised. She attended Kingman County rural schools and graduated from Adams Rural High School in 1954. She was valedictorian and lettered in tennis, basketball and softball. Continue reading Memorial Service For Clara Reida