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Bishop Castle Fire Most Likely Electrical

Photo courtesy of Wetmore Voluntary Fire Department

Press Release
Custer County Sheriff’s Office

On Wednesday, March 28th, at approximately 05:30 a.m., Custer County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from two female passersby of a structure fire at Bishop Castle, located on State Highway 165 at approximately twelve thousand block. Rye, Beulah and Wetmore Fire Departments were dispatched along with two Custer County Sheriff’s deputies.
Rye fire arrived on scene first and reported two structures were burning and had collapsed within themselves. The gift shop/residence and a small outbuilding were destroyed. There was no one living in the residence at the time of the fire. Fire had begun to creep up the mountainside but due to recent snowfall, the fire did not progress into the trees.
Wet Mountain Fire Department arrived on scene late afternoon to put foam on the structure as it remained hot and smoldering. Bishop Castle was closed to the public until the investigation was complete. The castle was not damaged in the fire.
Custer County Sheriff’s Office concluded their investigation of the Bishop Castle fire. An arson investigator in conjunction with our investigator determined the cause of the fire will be unknown but most likely electrical. Total loss of the two buildings is estimated at approximately $185,000 dollars which includes the buildings and contents. The castle has been released back to owner Jim Bishop and is open for tourism.
Custer County Sheriff’s Office wishes to express our condolences to the Bishop family in the loss of the buildings.

Interviews: Candidates for The Wet Mountain Fire District Board

(Editor/GG: There are two board positions up for grabs on Wet Mountain Fire Protection District Board come Election Day, May 8th. There are four candidates running for the two positions, Jeremiah Coleman, Dave Tonsing, Scott Virden and Jim Lewis. Below are interviews with Coleman, Tonsing and Virden. Lewis failed to respond to contact attempts. The election will be May 8th, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., AT THE FIRE HOUSE. Unless you get an absentee ballot ahead of time, you must go to the Fire House to vote.)

INTERVIEWS:

by Fred Hernandez Continue reading Interviews: Candidates for The Wet Mountain Fire District Board

USDA Designates Custer County Primary Natural Disaster Area

USDA Designates Custer County
and Other Counties in Colorado as Primary Natural Disaster
Areas Due to Drought

Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC
— March 29, 2018
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Bent, Custer, Huerfano and Prowers Counties in Colorado as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought.
Farmers and ranchers in the following contiguous counties in Colorado also qualify for natural disaster assistance. Those counties are: Alamosa, Baca, Costilla, Fremont, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, Pueblo and Saguache.
Farmers and ranchers in the contiguous counties of Greeley, Hamilton and Stanton in Kansas also qualify for natural disaster assistance. Continue reading USDA Designates Custer County Primary Natural Disaster Area

Lt. Col. Bart Wilbanks “Sets the Record Straight” on U.S. Military

Letter to the Editor ;
I have spent the last 19 years in the United States Air Force living out my childhood dream of serving my country. In every community I lived in, I was always encouraged by the generosity and appreciation that has been shown to me just for doing my job. I truly believe that the area around Hill Air Force Base supports the military better than anywhere else in the world. The community consistently reminds us with picnics, Thanksgiving dinners and the constant “thank you” when I’m out in the community in uniform. However, every once in a while there are things that happen that really make me take a step back and think about the job that our country has asked us to do. Last week I had the opportunity to listen to Mr. Gregory Salicido teach his students at El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera, CA, that those of us in the military are “not high-level thinkers. They’re not academic people. They’re not intellectual people. They’re the lowest of the lowest of the low”, and “that our parents didn’t love us enough to push us” to make something of ourselves. For some reason this put my “low level of thinking” into a slightly elevated state. Several days have passed since I heard the video, and I have been unable to get his words out of my head. We (the military) failed Mr. Salicido because there is not doubt that he believes his words are true and it is disappointing that we have Americans that could feel this way. Continue reading Lt. Col. Bart Wilbanks “Sets the Record Straight” on U.S. Military

Easter Services

Abounding Grace Full Gospel Fellowship
At High Altitude Fitness
50 Main St, Silver Cliff
Hal 783-3347, Dan 720-436-7335, Ron 318-840-4799
Friday, March 30, 6-8 p.m.

Cody Park Community Church
0157 CR 27A, Cotopaxi
719-942-3526
April 1, Easter Sunday Sunrise Service, 6 a.m.
Followed by Potluck Breakfast
Regular Service @ 10:30 a.m.

Community United Methodist Church
202 S. 6th St, Westcliffe
719-783-2511
March 30, Good Friday Service 6 p.m.
April 1, Easter Sunday, Service 9 a.m., Brunch 10 a.m.

Cotopaxi Community Church
20326 Hwy 50, Cotopaxi
719-942-4339
April 1, Easter Sunday
Sunrise Service, 7 a.m. above Cotopaxi Cemetery
8 a.m. Breakfast at the Church
9:45 a.m. Sunday School
11 a.m. Sunday Morning Service & Easter Cantata

Cowboy Church at Crossroads
4th & Illinois, Penrose
719-784-9126
With Bagpipes
Join us for a time of reflection and remembrance this Easter
Sunrise Service 6:30 a.m. Breakfast Brunch following
Regular Sunday Service 8 a.m. with Communion
All are welcome

First Baptist Church of Westcliffe
417 S. 6th St, Westcliffe
March 30, Good Friday 10 a.m.
Children’s Mega Egg Hunt 2 yrs old –
6th Grade On the Bluff 5,000 candy-filled eggs
April 1 Easter Sunday 8 a.m.
Community Sunrise Service On the Bluff
10:45 a.m. Service at the church with Choir and Communion

Hope Lutheran Church
3rd & Powell Sts, Westcliffe
719-783-9773
March 30, Good Friday Service, 7 p.m.
April 1, Easter Sunday Service, 10:30 a.m.
All are welcome

Livingstone Calvary Chapel
830 Bridge Street, Cañon City
719-276-0863
April 1, Easter Sunday 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
(Outdoor Service)

Our Lady of the Assumption
Roman Catholic Church
109 S 5th St, Westcliffe
719-783-3507
March 30, Good Friday Services, 3 p.m.
March 31, Holy Saturday Easter Vigil Mass, 7:30 p.m.
Easter Sunday Mass of the Resurrection
of our Lord – 11 a.m.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
3rd & Rosita Sts, Westcliffe
719-783-2477
March 30, Good Friday 12 Noon Service
April 1, Easter Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Service
Potluck following. Church providing the ham

St. Patrick’s Anglican Church
403 S. 2nd St. Westcliffe
719-783-3242
March 30, Good Friday, 3:30 Holy Communion
March 31, Saturday, Hat decorating—call 371-3277
April 1, Easter, 11 a.m. Holy Communion followed by coffee hour

Sangre de Cristo Fellowship
120 Jerry Court, Westcliffe
719-783-0903
March 30, Good Friday Service at 6:30 p.m.
April 1, Easter Sunday coffee & donuts at 9 a.m.
Easter Service 9:30 a.m.

Wetmore Baptist Church
Junction of Hwy 96 & 67, Wetmore
719-371-1230
April 1 Easter Sunday, 6:30 a.m.
Sunrise Service @ New Hope Cemetery, Wetmore
Potluck Breakfast 9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m. Western Gospel Singer/Preacher Greg Waggoner

Wetmore Community Church
699 CR 395, Wetmore
719-784-0596
April 1, Easter Sunrise Service 6:30 a.m.
At Jackson Hill, look for signs
Pancake Breakfast at The Wetmore Community Building 7:30 a.m.
Worship Service at the Wetmore Community Church 10 a.m.

Wild West Cowboy Church
60260 Hwy 69 North, Westcliffe
April 1, Easter Sunday
Children’s Bible Study 3 p.m.
Church Service 4 p.m.
Followed by Potluck

March 21 2018 BOCC

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—March 21, 2018
Wetmore, CO
by Jackie Bubis
The meeting started at 9 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. Introductions of the public in attendance followed.
Commissioner Items
Commissioner Printz reported his attendance at an Early Childhood Development meeting, the DOLA grant meeting in Golden and the Tourism Board meeting. He sent a firmly worded letter regarding the toilet in the Wetmore Community Center that has never worked properly. He reiterated that the mop sink was going to have to simply remain as is. Continue reading March 21 2018 BOCC

Candidate for Clinic Board Mike Haga Speaks about the Past and the Present

Redemption From a 37-Year-Old Error

by George Gramlich
Last week a concerned citizen sent the Sentinel (and apparently others in the area) a reference to a United States District Court (Denver) case from 1990. It was an appeal by the plaintiff to have his 1981 felony conviction of federal bank fraud be overturned due to the fact that at the time of the crime and sentencing, the plaintiff/defendant was mentally incompetent. The court rejected the request.
That plaintiff/defendant was Mike Haga, Custer County native and local high school graduate, is a candidate for the May 8th election for the West Custer County Hospital District Board.
His is a story of success after failure. A story of how mental and physical illness can be conquered and controlled. A story of determination to succeed. A story of how God can provide a path to fulfillment. Continue reading Candidate for Clinic Board Mike Haga Speaks about the Past and the Present

Custer County Republican Assembly: Baltzly and Nordyke Both Make Ballot for Coroner

by Sentinel Staff
The Custer County school’s multipurpose room began to fill with people signing in, seeing friends and neighbors leading to the ensuing conversations and meeting new people. Gubernatorial candidates, Steven Barlock from Denver and Teri Kear from Westcliffe were in attendance to meet people and answer questions. Continue reading Custer County Republican Assembly: Baltzly and Nordyke Both Make Ballot for Coroner

Custer County Republican Assembly March 20, 2018

Custer County
Republican Assembly
for all Custer County Precincts

Tuesday March 20, 2018 at 7 p.m.
Custer County School Multipurpose Room

The thirty delegates elected at the County Precinct Caucuses will attend the County Assembly where candidates will be nominated for open county elected positions. The elected delegates to the County Assembly will then vote from the nominations for county candidates for the June 26, 2018 Primary election ballot. Candidates must receive 30% of the delegate vote to be on the Primary election ballot. Statewide race candidates will also be nominated this evening. Ten State Assembly Delegates and Alternate Delegates will be elected to attend the State Assembly held April 13th and 14th, 2018.
All Republicans, 18 years of age and older, are invited to attend this Custer County Republican event to meet your delegates and county Republican candidates.

“Patients First” Reform Slate Running for Clinic Board

by George Gramlich
The troubled West Custer County Hospital District (aka “Clinic”) is having an unusual election come May 8th: All five Board of Directors positions are up for election. The five current Board members, Bob Tobin, Ann Evans, Janny Candelaria, Bob Weisenbach and Katherine Ripley-Williams have all indicated that they are running for re-election.
In an interesting twist, a group of local citizens concerned with the chronically poor performance of the Clinic and the never-ending management issues have banded together to form a reform slate and are running a team of five new candidates for the Board, dubbed the “Patients First” team.

The Patients First Team consists of Mike Haga, Mike Kienbusch,
David Brothers, Ann Barthrop and Larry Luikart. Their intent is to change the orientation of the Clinic’s efforts to a “Patients First” priority with a reform platform (noted below). Continue reading “Patients First” Reform Slate Running for Clinic Board