Category Archives: 2021

2021, Uncategorized

Book Review: “It’s Not About The Badge” Real Rural, Local Police Stories

Book Review: “It’s Not About The Badge”
Real Rural, Local Police Stories
What It Is Like to Be a Cop in the Rockies

“It’s Not About the Badge,” by John DiGirolamo, profiles the lives and careers of six small town police officers with extraordinary stories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by George Gramlich
We received an email a few weeks ago from a guy up in Chaffee County by the name of John DiGirolamo. He is a retired CPA and is currently a columnist for the Winter Park Times. He said he wrote a book about local, rural policing, called, “It’s Not About the Badge” and was wondering if we would review the book for our readers. We said no problem and we received the book in a few days. Continue reading Book Review: “It’s Not About The Badge” Real Rural, Local Police Stories →

2021, Custer County Kids

Bobcat Strong! Strong Performance at State Track Finals

by George Gramlich
Wow! The Bobcats came to the 2021 Colorado State Track and Field Championship well prepared and with a winning attitude as our four state qualifiers all did simply outstanding jobs in their respective events. The event, was held from Thursday, June 24th – Saturday, June 26th, at JeffCo Stadium in Lakewood, Colorado.
Coach Hal Walter said that “the state meet followed a nine-meet regular season that extended past graduation due to Covid-19 measures, and culminated with three meets in an eight-day stretch. They had only four days recovery/prep before heading to the state meet.”.

Leading the Bobcat effort was our middle and long-distance star, Micah Zeller. Ending a tremendous career at Custer County Central School District, Micah turned up the heat at the three-day meet and produced some outstanding results. Micah competed in three events: the 800 meter race, the 1600 meter race and the 3200 meter race. Running that many middle/long distance events in just a few days is, in itself, quite an achievement.
The highlight of Micah’s efforts was his definitive win in the 3200 meter race with an excellent time of 9 minutes and 47 seconds (9:47). It was a solid victory as 2nd place was 10:04 which yields a very nice victory margin. Micah came close to a second victory in the 800 meter race coming in a close second with a very good time of 1:57:61 missing 1st place by a slim margin. Astonishingly, Micah grabbed another 2nd place in the 1600 meter race with a great time of 4:23: 20, again just missing first place. His silver finishes, in the 800 and 1600, were personal best times for him. Good job, sir.

Jonah Carichner, our 400 meter star, also turned in a super performance placing 14th in the 400 meter finals in a very competitive race. Jonah’s time of 54.87 was not far off a top five finish. Great work.


Kaydin Moore also did a tremendous job in her hurdles and triple jump events. Kaydin grabbed an impressive 9th place in the 300 meter hurdles race with a super time of 50:92. She did well in the 100 meter hurdles preliminary race placing 10th with a time of 17:69 but just failed to qualify for the finals. Kaydin did some great jumping in the girls triple jump placing 14th with a
real good leap of 32-04 meters.


Harrison Walter, the fourth Custer Bobcat to go to State, ran the 200 meter Dash in the Special Olympic division. He did very well, placing 9th, which is a podium finish!
A super effort by our Bobcat track team, dedicated Head Track and Field Coach Joy Parrish, Distance Running Coach Hal Walter, and Throwing Coach Caden Parker. Thanks from all of us.

Photos courtesy of Custer County Schools and Coach Hal Walter.

2021, Uncategorized

Sangre Shooting Sports Club Turkey Shoot July 3

Press Release
The Sangre Shooting Sports Club will be holding a Turkey Shoot on July 3rd at 1:00PM at the shooting range, less than 4 miles south of Westcliffe on Hwy 69. There will be three different classes: .223 and down, .223 up to .307, .307 and larger. You can use any rifle or handgun that uses a standard rifle cartridge. No 50 BMGs. The cost is $15 for club members and $20 per non-member for each class you enter. Half the money goes to the class winners, the other half of the money goes to range improvement projects. Kids are welcome to shoot if they are accompanied by their parent or guardian. Lunch included in your entrance fee: hot dog, chips, soda/water. Additional lunches available for purchase. Registration starts at noon or as soon as you are done watching the parade! Contact John Noard, club RSO at john@danceswithwoofs.org or 612-889-3238.

2021

The Battle Is Local

Guest Editorial

The Battle Is Local

by Jeff Norwitz,
Richmond, Kentucky

As a former Fremont County resident, I became sad and angry when the “defund police” movements started and Antifa and BLM (anarchists) ran unchecked through big cities including
Denver. Analysis of what’s behind these shocking fissures in civilized behavior is complex and suggests many reasons. In my opinion, the seeds of this transformation go back to the early 1960s when Communists, Marxists, and self-hating Americans seized public education, academia, rewrote history, and removed God from the public square. In her book, “The Death of the Grown-Up: How America’s Arrested Development is Bringing down Western Civilization” (2008), nationally syndicated conservative columnist and author Diana West brilliantly explains that since the 1960s, we’ve become a nation of perpetual adolescents without the maturity, discipline, or courage to make painful decisions. West was prescient in what I hold is the most powerful book about the decline of America ever written.
Since then, three generations of child-like adults have become parents, teachers, leaders, judges, politicians, and election officials.
I fear this last election demonstrated we will never again have a mature voting public. Rather, we have puerile, selfish, uneducated, internationally ignorant, and propagandized voters who believe America is abhorrent, reject
opposing thought, and embrace alternate history. Moreover, the coming wave of undocumented voters whose self-interest will be tied to the nanny-state, further threatens conservative principles of limited government and self-reliance; antithetical to West’s
juvenile adults.
In my opinion, how conservatives reorganize will determine if we can ever unify to win Congress or the White House. So, what needs restructuring? The late Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill, Speaker of the House of Representatives, coined the phrase, “All Politics is Local” and wrote a book so titled. In my opinion, conservatives need to focus on winning municipal, county, and state elections. In doing so, we claw back control of local legislative power that suffocates tax payers and threatens cherished life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness – at the local level – which O’Neill advanced is where fundamentals of political action start. Every revolution starts in your political backyard.

2021

Geological Survey Underway: Black Helicopters and Rock Collecting

Colorado Geological Survey employee speaks at Liberty Rocks

E.F. Ferraro,
Correspondent

On May 27, 2021, “In the public interest and accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations”, the United States Geological Survey,
(USGS) announced a “low-level airborne project” during which “a low-flying helicopter will soon be visible to residents of Custer and Fremont counties, Colorado, beginning on or around June 4 and lasting potentially through August 31, 2021. The helicopter will be equipped with an elongate stinger mounted to the underside of the cabin extending forward of the helicopter”. That’s the good news.
The USGS is a scientific agency of the United States government. According to its website, the scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization’s work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology and hydrology. It was founded March 3, 1879. Today, the USGS is part of the much larger, U.S. Department of the Interior. Continue reading Geological Survey Underway: Black Helicopters and Rock Collecting →

2021

It’s 2 a.m. Whats that noise?

by Mark Bunch/President Royal Gorge Gun Club/Chairman Fremont County NRA

You have had a rough week. Fighting with your spouse and the summer heat has been merciless this year, making it almost impossible to sleep at night. This is probably the first night you have actually been able to fall asleep in a couple of weeks and now something has just woken you up. You lie there listening to the sounds of your house, your wife is sound asleep as is your ankle biting pet dog at the foot of the bed. Continue reading It’s 2 a.m. Whats that noise? →

2021, BOCC

IT’S BACK! BOCC: Local Dem Proposes ‘Preservation of the Right to Vote’ Resolution

BOCC: Local Dem Proposes
‘Preservation of the Right to Vote’ Resolution
What’s Up With That?

 

by George Gramlich,
News and Notations

NOTE: The deceptive resolution “Preservation of the Right to Vote” is back on the table for the June 30th Meeting. Tabled again for a July meeting.
Pretty tame stuff at this Custer County Board of County Commissioners June 1, 2021 meeting until the local Democrat Party Chair, James Gilbert, turn came up with a proposal
that had more meaning than what it said. We’ll see the strange brew in a minute.
All three musketeers showed up: Chair Bill Canda and members Tom Flower and Kevin Day.
The landfill report was that everything is going good. The compactor broke again but what else is new.
The new Veterans Service Office head showed up for the first time. Jared McClain is learning the ropes and doing good. Office hours look like Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. He would like veterans to make appointments for claims, if possible, so he can set aside sufficient time to do a thorough job.
Next up was Dr. James Gilbert, the Chair of the Custer County Democratic Party. He is proposing that the musketeers sign off on a resolution titled, “Preservation of the Right to Vote”.
Flower asked Gilbert early on in the discussion if he was representing the Democrat Party and he said no, he was there as an individual citizen. Fair enough but still shaky.
Gilbert launched into a long-written speech containing many inaccuracies. He said there was a record turnout in the last election because there was more access provided due to the Chicom virus lock downs. He said there were dozens of election lawsuits filed by Republicans alleging voter fraud and not one was accepted. (Note: Probably true, but look at it this way: In reality, not one was allowed to go to trial. The judges, killed requests to find the truth. Why? Lib judges plus no judge wants to be on the bench in a
civil trial that might lead to overturning the presidential election.)
He then went on to make the preposterous statement that there was “no fraud at all”, anywhere, in the election! (Really. He must be a contributor to CNN. Look at Philadelphia, PA, Good grief. Look at Los Angeles County. Plus remember the article we ran last week on Windham, New Hampshire? The heavy republican county did an audit as the numbers didn’t make sense and it found that the dem candidates, up and down the line, were given a substantial number of fraudulent votes by the voting machines. No, no fraud at all. Sir, at least try to appear honest. It really undermines your presentation.)
Gilbert, droning on in the classic lib complaining whine, says that even though there was no fraud, many states have passed and are passing draconian voter anti-fraud laws and that is bad. These laws are restrictive and of course, they will suppress voters of “color” and there is no basis for these. It is time for the musketeers to stand up for the right to vote. Blah, blah, blah.
Finally, Gilbert slows down a bit and the jousting begins. Canda asks has Colorado passed any restrictions? Gilbert says no. (So, what exactly is the problem or issue here, sir?) Flower says do you feel we have any issues here? Gilbert says no and that he is an election judge and all is good here.
Day jumps in and correctly says we need voter ID, etc., so we need to know who is voting (like illegals) and this sets Gilbert off on a tangent about how voter ID and other common-sense measures to reduce fraud are wrong because we don’t have any fraud.
Canda smells a rat and jumps in with Day with questions about why should we do this and basically it is unnecessary. Gilbert says your arguments are phony.
(Folks, what all this is: Gilbert’s resolution on preserving the right to vote is a smoke screen for eliminating laws, or preventing anti-fraud laws from being passed. If this proposal passes, he and the rest of the libs, will use it against any new law or rule concerning voter fraud saying it restricts the right to vote and the BOCC is on record saying they want the right to vote preserved thus we should not have any of these anti-fraud laws at all. He is trying to hamstring the musketeers re any new voter laws. Clever little buggers, the libs are.)
County Clerk Kelly chimes in and says Colorado is very secure and is one of the top three states in the country for honest elections. (Again, so why do we need this resolution???) She says the feds are trying to pass this enormous election law debacle that would eliminate all the protections we have here in Colorado. Gilbert is pretty quiet during this.
They danced some more. Finally the musketeers told Gilbert to get rid of some the crazy stuff in his resolution and bring it back for another go.

2021

Here Come the Helos – USGS and Liberty Rocks June 17

by Fred Hernandez
By now we have all heard, or should have heard, about the choppers coming to our area. They will be crisscrossing our mountains, hills, valleys and towns. You may even see them overhead from your backyard as you barbeque a hot dog or burger. It will start very soon and continue until sometime in the first week of August. Why are they here? What are they mapping? Who sent them? What is it all about? Anything to do with the government?
On Thursday, the third Thursday of the month, June 17th, all the answers will be revealed at the Liberty Rocks event sponsored by Custer Citizens for the Constitution. As always it will be held at Tony’s Mountain Pizza starting at 5:30 p.m., to order food and drink, with the program proper commencing at 6 p.m.
The guest speaker is Mr. Jay Temple, a geoscientist employed by the Colorado Geological Survey which is a branch of the Colorado School of Mines. He lives in Colorado Springs and is under contract with the United States Geological Society (USGS). His mission is to survey this area of the Rocky Mountains to find, identify and map the location of certain elements, minerals and other substances that need to be made known to government agencies who are responsible for the production of materials that may be needed now or in the future. Mr. Temple has a lifetime experience in his profession and will give the community a complete picture of what is to be accomplished, for what reasons and other information relevant to the whole project. Come with all your questions, concerns, thoughts and suggestions. If you have any questions, see the Ad below for contact information.

2021, Uncategorized

Flights Above Custer and Fremont Counties

Flights Above Custer and Fremont Counties, Colorado,
to Map Geology

SGL Stinger Helicopter Public domain

Release Date: May 27, 2021

USGS Low-level Helicopter Surveys Begin Early June

Editor: In the public interest and in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the USGS is announcing this low-level airborne project. Your assistance in informing the local communities is appreciated.

A low-flying helicopter will soon be visible to residents of Custer and Fremont counties, Colorado, beginning on or around June 4th and lasting potentially through August 31, 2021. The helicopter will be equipped with an elongate “stinger” mounted to the underside of the cabin extending forward of the helicopter.

The low-level flights are coordinated by U.S. Geological Survey scientists to image geology at the surface and below ground. The effort is part of the USGS Earth MRI project in collaboration with the Colorado Geological Survey to assist in better understanding the geology and natural resources in the area.

Instruments on the airplane will measure variations in the Earth’s magnetic field and natural low-level radiation created by different rock types near and up to several miles beneath the surface. This information will help researchers develop geologic maps of the area that will be used to better understand the geology and mineral resources in the region. The scientific instruments on the airplane are completely passive with no emissions that pose a risk to humans, animals or plant life.

This survey will be flown at an altitude of 300 to 1,000 feet above ground by contractor Sander Geophysics Limited. Experienced pilots who are specially trained and approved for low-level flying will operate the aircraft. All flights will occur during daylight hours and are coordinated with the FAA to ensure accordance with U.S. law. The flights will be based out of Fremont County airport near Cañon City, covering parts of the Wet Mountains and Wet Mountain Valley in Fremont and Custer Counties, including the town of Westcliffe.

See https://www.usgs.gov/news/media-alert-flights-above-custer-and-fremont-counties-colorado-map-geology

The helicopter survey will take place within the red polygon on the map, located just west of Cañon City, Colorado. It will cover parts of the Wet Mountains and Wet Mountain Valley in Fremont and Custer Counties, including the town of Westcliffe, in south-central Colorado.