Category Archives: 2019

Vote for Canon City

Ashley R. Smith,
Canon City Mayor pro tem

With a few clicks of your finger you can literally start a revolution. Out of 12,000 applications Cañon City is in the top six nationally, and only in the Rocky Mountain Region, to be selected on the HULU reality TV series Small Business Revolution. If Cañon City wins the online voting contest, SBR will choose six small businesses to receive televised makeovers. With your online votes, this opportunity could revolutionize the destiny of our rural downtown. Continue reading Vote for Canon City

Angela McCaffery – Youth Services Librarian

Youth Services Librarian
Photo by Fred Hernandez

by Fred Hernandez
Some Judeo Christian faiths teach that we all have a Guardian Angel, especially children who need most guidance and protection during their early and formative years. For the children of Custer County, they are specially blessed because of an opportunity to have even more than just one Guardian Angel. At the West Custer County Library on Main Street an Angel awaits all kids who would like to enroll in various programs now available since she came to work at the library in June of 2018. This Angel hails from the state of Kansas where she lived and went to school graduating from the state university in Art Education. Continue reading Angela McCaffery – Youth Services Librarian

BOCC: New Admin

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—February 5, 2019
WESTCLIFFE, Colo.
by Jackie (Muddy) Bubis
The meeting started at 9 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. Attorney Clint Smith was not present. Introductions of the public followed.
Commissioner Items: The Commissioners each reported the various meetings that they had attended.
Chairman Flower welcomed Meredith Nichols as the new administrative assistant for the BOCC. Her email address will be BOCC admin@CusterCountygov.com. Continue reading BOCC: New Admin

Silver Cliff Town Meeting: SO Report, Pot Grow Law, Maint. Super Still Needed

Silver Cliff Town Board Meeting
– February 4, 2019
by Lisa Frank
The meeting was called to order with the Pledge of Allegiance and followed with roll call. Absent from the meeting was Trustee L. Guarnere and Mayor Laswell. Mayor pro tem Buck Wenzel chaired the meeting. In the audience were four Silver Cliff citizens who introduced themselves and the meeting began.
Consent Agenda – passed unanimously with no objection or discussion. Continue reading Silver Cliff Town Meeting: SO Report, Pot Grow Law, Maint. Super Still Needed

Bobcats update: Mid January Games

by Barbie Gierhart,
Sports Reporter

Bobcat Girls Varsity
On Friday, January 18th, the High School Lady Bobcats played against Florence at home.
The Varsity Girls played hard, but lost to Florence 39-20. The high scorer of the game was Lindsey Gillmore with six points. Emma Aldrich brought six points, Memphis Curry added five, Brittany Benoit two, and Hailey Hunter with two points.
JV Girls Basketball
The JV Girls played a good game with a win of 17-14. Scoring the most points of the game was Morgan Foster with 9. Kaya Huffman put up five points, added by Katie Wilkinson with two, and Delaney Downing with one point. Continue reading Bobcats update: Mid January Games

Custer Students Selected for Honor Band

Press Release
Custer County Schools
Congratulations to the Custer County Middle School students, Cameron Penkoff (Euphonium) and Weston Jones (Percussion), who were selected to the San Luis Valley Music Educator’s Association (SLVMEA) Honor Band. The concert took place on Friday and Saturday, January 18-19, 2019, at Adams State University.

Continue reading Custer Students Selected for Honor Band

Custer County School Board Meeting January 2019

Infinite Campus Software, Tablets and Other Items Charged by Contractors, Geothermal  Answers, Construction Trades Teacher
Cole McCullum Resigns

BOE Regular Meeting
—January 15, 2019
McKenzie Huffman,
Education Reporter

Given that many of the committees did not hold meetings during the winter break, Tuesday’s meeting was short and sweet. Items that were discussed in addition to, or beyond approval included the NV5 Update. Again, no NV5 representative was present. Director Lee brought up that it has been two months since he requested further information regarding some of the contractors charging for their leasing of iPads, trucks, etc. Superintendent Payler reported that he too had sent correspondence asking for clarification regarding those types of charges, concluding that he would follow up on the topic.
In the District Financial Report, Amy Perschbacher mentioned that there was one odd item included in the report in the form of –$16,788.53. This amount was funds from local tax, that had been labeled incorrectly during the last fiscal year, and was paid to the school in error, and had to be reimbursed. On a positive note there was an increase in the State Equalization payment, due to an increase in per student funding. The amount was $93,501, when it is
usually in the $80k range. Continue reading Custer County School Board Meeting January 2019

Aerial Survey: Bark Beetle Outbreaks Expanding in Colorado

Press Release
FORT COLLINS, Colo.
—January 15, 2019
Bark beetle outbreaks have continued to expand in parts of Colorado, based on a 2018 aerial forest health survey conducted by the Colorado State Forest Service and U.S. Forest Service (CSFS), Rocky Mountain Region. Every year the agencies work together to aerially monitor forest health conditions on millions of forested acres across the state.

Pitch tube.
Photo by Dan West, Colorado State Forest Service

Continue reading Aerial Survey: Bark Beetle Outbreaks Expanding in Colorado

BOCC Jan 8: Swearing In, County & Regional Appointments

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—January 8, 2019
WESTCLIFFE, Colo.
by Jackie (Muddy) Bubis
The meeting started at 9 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. Introductions of the public followed.
Minutes from December 18th and 31st were approved.
Commissioner Items
Commissioner Printz and Tom Flower both met with Cheryl Trent when she was in town. She is heading up the Economic Development Strategic Plan survey and interviews of local business owners and entrepreneurs. (If you haven’t filled out the survey, the deadline is approaching. Electronic version can be found on the Custer County website: www.custercountygov.com.) Continue reading BOCC Jan 8: Swearing In, County & Regional Appointments