All posts by sentineladmin

2019, BOCC

November 27th BOCC: Fiber, EMS, Airport Fire Truck Issue, HOAs want Snow Plowed by County

BOCC: IGA Signed for Fiber Project,
Airport Fire Truck Issue, HOA Wants Snow Plowed,
MORE EMS Drama

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—November 27, 2019
WESTCLIFFE, Colo.
by Jackie (Muddy) Bubis
The meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. Introductions of the public followed.
The minutes from November 13th were approved.
Commissioner Items
Commissioner Canda reported that the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District will be meeting after the first of the year with those opposed to the water augmentation plan. He worked with Fire Chief Shy to clarify insurance issues with the damage done by the fire truck housed at the airport. He announced that the $30K grant for the Underfunded Courthouse project was awarded. Continue reading November 27th BOCC: Fiber, EMS, Airport Fire Truck Issue, HOAs want Snow Plowed by County →

2019

Living Nativity at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Canon City

On Saturday, December 14th from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church will continue its traditional recreation of the birth of Christ as a Living Nativity scene. This year marks the 21st Anniversary of the event.
Visiting the Living Nativity has become a tradition for many viewers from Fremont County and beyond. New visitors are invited to join in the tradition at 801 N. Sheridan Avenue in Cañon City to help celebrate the Christmas season. Continue reading Living Nativity at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Canon City →

Uncategorized

Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Groups Provide Thanksgiving Dinner to Many

by George Gramlich
The hand of God can clearly be seen in making a wonderful event happen last Saturday. Two separate strands of fate were somehow joined to produce a literal bounty of Thanksgiving food for around 100 Custer County families, and it wasn’t by chance.


Our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12063 wanted to provide Thanksgiving turkeys and fix’ns for some of our less fortunate families in the Valley. After some planning, they began raising money to get ‘er done. They posted on social media and did door-to-door visits to the business community in Westcliffe and Silver Cliff. As usual, our merchants responded well.

Continue reading Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Groups Provide Thanksgiving Dinner to Many →

2019, BOCC

BOCC Nov 13th: BOCC: New Christian Radio Station Coming To County; Another EMS Vote, Fiber IGA Approved

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—November 13, 2019
WESTCLIFFE, Colo.
by Jackie (Muddy) Bubis
The meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. Introductions of the public followed.
The minutes from October 31st, November 6th and 7th were approved.
Commissioner Items:
Commissioner Canda held his comments until a later agenda item.
Both Chairman Flower and Commissioner Printz reported on meetings they attended. Commissioner Flower got a consensus from the other commissioners that the county should not buy the salvaged deputy’s vehicle from the recent crash. The vehicle was heavily damaged and Mr. Flower expressed that he didn’t think the county wanted to be in the salvage business. He also reported that the letter that the Board sent to DOLA requesting funds had a mistake in it. Christy Doon from DOLA will attend the end of month meeting to discuss this request in light of new management at DOLA. Continue reading BOCC Nov 13th: BOCC: New Christian Radio Station Coming To County; Another EMS Vote, Fiber IGA Approved →

2019

Westcliffe Sales Tax Increase Voted DOWN

Westcliffe Sales Tax Increase Voted DOWN
State: Prop CC a Big NO GO

by George Gramlich
In a somewhat surprising result, the citizens of Westcliffe voted down the 50% town sales tax increase proposed by their own Town Council and Mayor Paul Wenke. The vote was a pretty conclusive 106 against to 89 for the measure. There wasn’t much public discussion about the proposed tax increase until Westcliffe citizen and real estate broker, John Johnston, wrote a very informative Letter to the Editor a few months ago exposing some fiscal points that were not well known. That letter could have very well influenced the defeat of the tax increase.
Custer County held to her conservative views in decisively defeating the TABOR-killing Proposition CC by a huge margin, 67.77% (1,516 votes) against to only 32.23% (721 votes) for.
Prop CC was defeated at the state level by 55.12% to 44.88% despite millions of dollars of out-of-state donations spent on trying to get it passed.
Custer voters also voted heavily against Proposition DD (water taxes) with 63.64% (1,425) against to 36.36% (814 votes) for. However, Prop DD just barely passed at the state level 50.48% to 49.52%.
School Board: In District 1, DeeAnna Pratt beat Maria Duran-Shy 956 to 853. Jacob Shy ran uncontested in District. He received 1,303 votes. Daniel Kriegh lost to Newell Woodbury in District 3 with Woodbury getting 810 votes to Kriegh’s 740 vote tally.
County wide, only 2,252 out of the 4,090 registered voters voted. About 2,230 voters voted for the two statewide issues (Prop’s CC and DD) while about only around 1,500 voters voted in the school board races. And all issues and candidates were on the same ballot.
All results are unofficial as of press time.

2019

Custerites You Did It! Fundraising Goal Met

Custerites You Did It!
Fundraising Goal Met for
Deputies’ New Body Armor

by George Gramlich
It all started a couple of months ago when local realtor Josh Martin asked my friend and Sentinel Vice President Fred Hernandez to help with an idea he had. Due to a recent incident, Josh want-ed to do something nice for the Sheriff’s Office. Maybe buy them some equipment that they might need. So, Josh and Fred went to see Custer County Sheriff Shannon Byerly. The Sheriff said there was something they could help the Sheriff’s Office with: getting new, rifle rated body armor. He also mentioned that there is a charitable organization in Colorado Springs that specializes in helping local law enforcement agencies obtain rifle rated body armor. That organizations is SHIELD616. Continue reading Custerites You Did It! Fundraising Goal Met →

2019

Every American Male Should Read This Book

The Godfather, Business
and Manhood: Every American Male
Should Read This Book

by George Gramlich,
A Book Review

Robert Gore, ex-Los Angeles bond trader, blogger (straightlinelogic.com), author “The Golden Pinnacle”, and an avid Sentinel reader, recently sent us his latest book, “Everything I Know About Business I Learned From The Godfather”. It is outstanding.

Robert is a huge fan of Mario Puzo’s “Godfather” novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s “Godfather” movies. He’s a pretty bright guy, with an MBA (a degree he calls “useless”) and a law degree. He survived a career in the rough-and-tumble world of big-time trading in stocks, bonds, commodities, and credit default swaps for two firms in Los Angeles. After decades in the financial swamp, he quit to write full-time. He’s now also an investor and executive in a technology startup.

Continue reading Every American Male Should Read This Book →

2019, Letters

Westcliffe Wants a 50% Sales Tax HIKE Taxpayer Wants to Know Why

Westcliffe Wants a 50% Sales Tax HIKE
Taxpayer Wants to Know Why

A Letter to the Editor;
by John G. Johnston
The Town of Westcliffe is counting on your apathy to get away with increasing your sales tax by 50%. Since I have lived here…and long before that, the town has had one of the healthiest budgets anyone could ask for. I ask the trustees to find a government with a higher percentage of wealth and reserve. Continue reading Westcliffe Wants a 50% Sales Tax HIKE Taxpayer Wants to Know Why →