Category Archives: 2025

2025, Uncategorized

Feb 13 Custer County School Board Hears Staff & Community

Custer County School Board Prioritizes
Supporting Staff and Community

by Laura Vass
At the end of the February 11 Regular School Board meeting, The Custer County School Board went into executive session to discuss Superintendent Thom Peck’s annual performance evaluation, typically performed this time of year. The agenda item was, “The Board will vote to convene in executive session pursuant to C.R.S. 24-6-402(4)(f)(I) to consider a personnel matter, specifically to conduct the superintendent’s performance review.”
(We anticipated that the written review/appraisal would be more thorough than the last board’s short summary of the previous superintendent (Jackie Crabtree) in 2022 which did not appear to meet state requirements. The Superintendent’s 2025 evaluation for Thom Peck indicated areas of improvement needed on follow-through, policy adherence and improving academic performance. Though not a glowing evaluation, it left room for growth and stated clearly what remaining annual goals he should work on for the school as a whole. It’s available to the public on the school’s website.)
The following day, February 12th, school board members learned that information from the executive session was being shared by Mr. Peck with staff and members of the community. In doing so, the breach caused a major disruption and created discord in both the school and community, forcing the Board to take immediate action. For the Board to discuss Mr. Peck’s breach of executive session and resulting discord an emergency public meeting had to be held. Based on the full board’s availability and urgency of the matter, the best available date chosen was Thursday, February 13th. The agenda listed a public comment section and “DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS:
A: Superintendent Employment
B: Interim or Acting
Superintendent.”
School Board President Reggie Foster’s opening statement included, “Colorado’s Open Meeting Law has confidentiality protections around executive sessions. As the Superintendent of Schools, implicit in Thom’s participation in executive sessions with the Board is his obligation to maintain the confidentiality of those communications. Pieces of that confidential and protected conversation were inappropriately shared, but not in full context, with select members of the staff and public. I am sorry that any of you were put in that position.” Foster continued, “Such behavior is unprofessional and undermines the working relationship between the Board and the Superintendent.”
More than 70 people attended, including parents, community members, and staff. (This came on the heels of Facebook posts on February 11th, both complaining about and supporting Superintendent Thom Peck and the school’s bussing schedule. Apparently, those posts had little or nothing to do with the issues at hand but based on audience questions and comments contributed to the high meeting attendance.)
Board President Foster told the panicked crowd at the meeting that she wrote the agenda items “in a specific way because I did not know what was going to transpire today. We have really hard decisions to make. We pride ourselves on taking [in] all the information before we make a decision. And we are the only ones with all of the information.”
The Board did not comment much during the special meeting. (This is typical since meetings are held “in the public” but not “of the public”. All of those who wanted to speak were given two minutes to voice their concerns.) Note that the Board cannot discuss personnel matters outside of executive session so answers to questions were limited.
Responding to accusations of secrecy, hiding information and blindsiding the staff Foster said, “When a board, of any kind, is doing its job and upholding its oath, then personnel matters are maintained in confidence.”
True to Foster’s earlier professions of considering all information, the Board’s inactions demonstrated that they heard and were contemplating the messages of those who spoke in support of Superintendent Peck. Stories of Mr. Peck’s hallway interactions, outreach to the homeschool community and knowing the names of students appeared to resonate some importance with the members of the Board.
In what was a clear show of Board support for the staff and community and a possible willingness to put aside Mr. Peck’s breach of executive session, the meeting closed without utilizing the latter agenda items. In the end, it appears that the Board has set aside its business focused priorities of performance in favor of the staff’s pleas for stability.
Peck, who came aboard in 2024, currently has a salary of $123,000 per year. If the Board does make a future decision to terminate him, they would have to pay a portion of his remaining salary per his contract. The District would then have to determine an interim and possibly pay an interim’s salary. There would be no cost for another Superintendent search per the District’s contract with search firm McPherson and Jacobsen.
Mr. Peck, viewed by the hiring committee as the best candidate for the position last spring, was removed as a high school principal in Big Fork, Montana and faced a non-renewal of his contract in 2024 with Lewiston Public School Board, with no details available.

2025, Uncategorized

Kirkpatrick Bank Names Mike Steppenbacker To Lead Colorado

Kirkpatrick Bank Names Mike Steppenbacker
To Lead Colorado

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado
—January 28, 2025

Kirkpatrick Bank names Mike Steppenbacker as Colorado Market President and Head of Colorado Lending. He brings over twenty four years of experience to the role.
“We are extremely excited to have Mike join our team,” said Trent Stafford, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer for Kirkpatrick Bank.
Most recently, Mike served as Director/VP of Corporate Banking at Ent Credit Union, specializing in commercial lending and business banking oper-ations. Before joining Ent Credit Union, Mike held the position of Vice President of Business Banking at ANB Bank from 2005 to 2010. His foundational experience includes serving as a Bank Examiner for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in Cleveland, Ohio, where he developed a deep understanding of regulatory compliance and banking oversight.
Mike holds an MBA from Colorado State University and a Bachelor of Science in Financial Management from Grove City College.
Mike has been married to his wife, Linda, for nearly two decades. Together, they are proud parents to three children, ages fifteen, thirteen, and eleven. Mike remains actively engaged in the community, serving as a youth basketball coach for seventh-grade club teams and strongly involved in his local church congregation.

2025, Uncategorized

Cosme Daniel “Danny” Hernandez -Obituary

Obituary
Cosme Daniel “Danny” Hernandez

Cosme Daniel “Danny” Hernandez left us February 8, 2025. Danny was born in Pinar del Rio Province, Cuba, in 1927, and from a very young age learned to be resourceful and quite the entrepreneur. His careers in Cuba included serving as a police officer, the Cuban Navy/Coast Guardsman which they call a Marine and he worked at an American electric company. It was the day he was handed a communist newspaper and told this is what he now was to read that he tore it into two pieces and knew it was time to go to the United States. Unfortunately, his family stayed behind in Cuba. He landed in New Jersey and once again his entrepreneurial spirit prevailed working multiple jobs, one of which was selling quality women’s dresses and jewelry. This would be his most important job as he met the love of his life when he sold several dresses to Hildalisa Chavez.
Quite smitten, she said to him she could not pay him in full but that he must come back weekly for payments. They were married August 30, 1963. Shortly after they married, they moved to Miami where they created their beautiful life together. Throughout their 62 years together, they traveled the world, visiting France, Italy, Spain, Argentina and Austria, to name a few. He was a successful business owner, always considering his family, supporting where he could. He was generous to a fault. Never denied any financial requests. A true living angel.
He even went back to Cuba decades later to visit his sisters and was able to build them a home with indoor plumbing. One of his proudest moments in life. Danny and Lisa were sweethearts to the end, always loving with each other, always holding hands, a true love story.


He will be missed dearly by all. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Hildelisa C. Hernandez, sister-in-law, Esther (Rodolfo, deceased) Barrio, niece Barbara (Ron) Beckner, and many many nieces and nephews and even more dear friends.

Memorial services to be held at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church, 109 South Fifth Street, Westcliffe, CO 81252, February 20,
2025 at 9:30 a.m.   Rosary at 9:20 a.m.

2025, Uncategorized

Motions Hearing for Alleged Triple Murder Accomplice Kochis

Nancy Rae Medina-Kochis
Photo: 2023 Custer County Sheriff’s Office

by George Gramlich
The alleged accomplice to the triple murder in 2023 off of Oak Creek Grade, Nancy Rae Medina Kochis, had a “motions” hearing last Tuesday, February 4, 2025 in District Court in Custer County. District Court Judge Lauren Swan presided. The Defendant’s attorney was Mr. Cutler while the 11th Judicial District’s District Attorney, Jeff Lindsay, represented the state.
Ms. Kochis, who is out on bail, is charged with five Level 5 felonies in regard to the alleged homicides. The hearing was an attempt by the Defense to get the charges dismissed based on allegations that the Custer County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office were delinquent in delivering evidence to the defense.
Mr. Cutler called Custer County Detective Sergeant Elizabeth Robinson as a witness. Detective Robinson is the lead deputy on the case. Detective Robinson testified that there were over 200 pieces of evidence “discovered” or turned over to the defense including thousands and thousand of pages of documentation. Mr. Cutler, laboriously, attempted to show that a few items were turned over late. This went on and on. Detective Robinson explained over and over again how the process worked and how she responded to requests for information in a timely manner. It appeared that Mr. Cutler did not make much progress.
After Mr. Cutler was done, DA Lindsay reviewed the
evidence procedures with Detective Robinson and how the Public Defenders Office reviewed all the evidence at the Sheriff’s Office.
The result was that Judge Swan ordered another motions hearing on March 31, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. in District Court in Custer County.

2025, BOCC, Uncategorized

Jan 30 BOCC: Lawsuit, Roth Get FD Position, Attorney Drama

Decline Rumblings,
$60k Lawsuit Payment, Roth Gets the Finance Director’s Position, More County Attorney Drama

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
The January 30, 2025 Custer County Board of County Commissioners’ (BOCC) meeting started at 9:01 a.m. at the All Aboard Westcliffe meeting room in Westcliffe. All three Commissioners were present: Chair Bill Canda and members Lucas Epp and Paul Vogelsong.
In Commissioner Items, Epp said the Commissioners were “mandatory” reporters for the Department of Human Services re child protective services and they must undergo training because of that mandate. Epp also said he had talked to our Public Health Department about their grant funding and what level of services that could provide if their state and federal grant for income declines. (And it will. All of Custer County’s departments and offices should prepare contingency plans for a probate grant income decline.) He noted that the Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments (UAACOG) (a government grant dispensing non-profit machine in Cañon City) might also have some serious funding issues going forward. Epp commented, “Grants are up in the air. If certain things go away, what are we going to do and what is it going to look like?)
( It’s called small, efficient, prioritized government focusing on the essentials.)
Canda chimed in, “Fed funding is the issue. We need to know what grants are federal.” (Note a LOT of “state” grants are actually fed money that was given to the state…)
In New Business, Accounts Payable was first up. Epp stated that the monthly AP amount was high as it is in the beginning of the year and also it contained a $60k bill from the county’s insurer (CTSI) for the deductible amount we have to pay for the settlement of the tasing lawsuit brought by a minor who
was in custody by the Sheriff’s Office. (This was before Sheriff Smith came on board. Rumor has it the settlement was for around $700k.) The incident occurred in 2022 and involved alleged excessive force. The total A/P for January was $365k and it was approved.
The next report was from the Wet Mountain Fire District. It was reported that the District received the most calls for service ever last year, 340 calls. There were 16 fires responded to.
The Tourism Bureau’s report involved a slide presentation. They said they were doing a good job as the Lodging Tax was up for last year. The online Zoom system went out during their report so much
was missed.
Our County Clerk and Recorder, Kelley Camper, then was up requesting the ok form the Commissioners to apply for a $144k grant from the state fund that grabs $2 from every electronic document recording the Clerk’s Office does. The Commissioners gave their approval.
Brian Anderson gave the Airport report. The $650k eight-foot fence that a donor put up and paid for was about completed. However, the three access gates to the airport need to be upgraded to keep deer and other pesky critters out. The Airport has a $50k grant it can use. They received a local bid to fix the gates for around $21k. This passed.
Next Agenda Item was, “Consideration of the Finance Director’s Position”. Epp handled this. (As you know, we haven’t had a Finance Director for over a year after the big County Manager debacle. The Commissioners were only offering $125k for the job and the real-world price to get anybody decent is over $200k. Vernon Roth, our IT Director has been basically doing the job (with help from Redlands Accounting) and all reports say he is doing a great job. So, after a year, something finally happened….) Epp kind of laid out some background on where we are re the position saying we had an employee (Roth) in this position (on an interim basis) now for a year. Epp proposed to “move that employee into this Finance Director’s position” and we “will keep Redlands or another consultant here as backup.” Epp proposed a salary of $95k. Epp then read a letter from a local citizen who is a very high-speed accountant saying Vernon can do the job. Vogelsong commented that if we bring somebody new in it “would be a big learning curve.” A couple of peasants then spoke up supporting Vernon. The vote was then taken and all three Commissioners voted to give Vernon the job. (Good move. Vernon is super smart and a very hard worker.)
The next subject was pretty controversial, “Review and Consideration of the Contract for County Attorney”. (Remember there was a personnel issue with our County Attorney, Dan Slater, and a county employee. The Commissioners voted to fire Slater for it. They took away Slater’s contract with the department where the issue occurred but kept him on for the BOCC and the Sheriff’s Office until they found a replacement. Until now, they haven’t found anybody.
This Item is Canda’s baby. He said he has an attorney, Rachel Maxam, who just moved here and has a practice in Colorado Springs and she wants the job. She wants $5k a month and $100 per hour for
extra hours.
Canda went on a bit about Maxam then Slater rose to his defense saying she would cost 43% more than what he was getting. Epp said he thought her flat fee was way too high and was concerned that we would normally not use that many hours. Slater said his average monthly fee for 2024 was $3,290 per month and her proposed contract doesn’t cover “litigation” which his does and this could cost a ton more. Slater then said he “continues to have questions to why you still want to change.” Epp responded something about, “legalities of conflict of interest”. At some point in the discussion, Slater said the “issue” had been resolved (so no point in trying to get rid of him.) This went on and on. Finally, as it is a personnel issue, the Commissioners decided to have an Executive Session on it (date to be decided). So, Slater is still our County Attorney. (Well, Slater was removed re his “personnel issue” from one of his contracts with the county and apparently the “issue” is resolved now. The problem is, getting an attorney who really knows county/municipal law is difficult. And the gov’t legal arena is complex and complicated. You need a lot of experience to get good at it. Watching Slater now for years, he knows his stuff. The only real blem on his work here was the County Manager vignette where he did not give the Commissioners proper advice on how to follow the law regarding setting up a County Manager position and filling it. Other than that, he has done a good job. He had his hand slapped over the personnel issue. It is going to be real difficult to find someone with his experience who will charge us a reasonable rate….  Maybe change your minds mighty Commissioners and give him a second chance?)
And that was it. Pretty good drama quotient. Stay tuned for the next chapter of “Happy Valley”. Continue reading Jan 30 BOCC: Lawsuit, Roth Get FD Position, Attorney Drama →

2025

Password Leak in 2024 CO Voting Systems: After Investigation, Criminal Charges Dropped

BIOS Password Leak in 2024 Colorado Voting Systems:
After Investigation, Criminal Charges Dropped BIOS Password Leak in 2024 Colorado Voting Systems:
After Investigation, Criminal Charges Dropped

(Note: the Denver DA report has been released (employee names redacted.) The Sentinel will put that PDF up on our website along with the press release.  Pages 11, 12, 23 and 24 will give you that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you “trust” your government to create policies and protocols that protect your vote.  READ HERE )

Press Release
11th Judicial District DA
Jeffrey D. Lindsey

After careful review of reports pertaining to the Colorado Secretary of State (SOS) publishing BIOS voting machine passwords and contacting each County Clerk and Recorder in Fremont, Chaffee, Park, and Custer Counties, the 11th Judicial District, Office of the District Attorney is endorsing the decision made by the Denver District Attorney’s Office in announcing that criminal charges will not be filed in this matter. The decision by this office was made based on the following.
• In early November, numerous voters from the 11th Judicial District (as well as other judicial districts across Colorado) sent affidavits pursuant to C.R.S. §1-13-101, requesting an investigation by the District Attorney’s Office into the publishing of the BIOS passwords by the Colorado Secretary of State. An informal meeting was called where all affected District Attorneys and the executive team at the (Colorado District Attorney’s Council (CDAC) discussed the most efficient way to investigate the allegations. Since the Secretary of State’s Office (Colorado Department of State/CDOS ) is based in Denver County, the decision was made to have the Denver District Attorney’s Office take the lead in conducting the investigation. The investigative
team at the Denver District
Attorney’s Office was assigned to review the case.

• On December 20, 2024, Denver District Attorney, Beth McCann announced her office would not be pursuing criminal charges in this matter stating, “The decision was the result of a seven-week long investigation by the Denver DA’s Office into possible violations of two Colorado statutes: C.R.S. 1-13-708(2), which concerns the publication of passwords related to a voting system; and C.R.S. 18-8-405(1), which concerns second degree official misconduct. “After an extensive investigation by prosecutors and investigators in my office, we have concluded that there were no criminal violations of the law regarding the publication of the voting machine passwords,” said DA McCann. “Based on everything we have learned, the passwords were published in error and not ‘knowingly’, as required to prove a violation of C.R.S. 1-13-708(2), or ‘knowingly, arbitrarily or capriciously’, as required to prove a violation of CRS 18-8-405(1). There is no indication that the passwords were published in an effort to influence the outcome of an election.” (The report is attached to this release).

• The report was forwarded to all District Attorneys in Colorado. At the behest of District Attorney Jeff Lindsey, an investigator from the 11th Judicial District contacted all four (Fremont, Chaffee, Park, and Custer) County Clerk and Recorders. These offices are res-
ponsible for elections in the State of Colorado. Inquiry was made to determine if any election improprieties occurred. Every Clerk
and Recorder within the District indicated that there were not any improprieties in the elections that may have been affected by the release of the passwords. The four Clerk and Recorders expressed satisfaction in the integrity of the 2024 election. The machines affected are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week by video monitoring. Moreover, the machines are required to be in secure locations and access of the area is only by approved employees of the County Clerk and Recorders.

• The District Attorney’s Office recognizes the importance of fair and legal elections. They are the cornerstone of our Democracy. As was done in this investigation, improprieties should be investigated and handled accordingly.

• The investigation is considered closed at this time.

2025, Uncategorized

They’re Coming! Wolves Near Cañon City, Maybe a Custer Incursion

Editor/GG: Based on this map, looks like a big, bad wolf might have breached the Custer County border. Perhaps our Trump inspired Wolf Fence stopped him. But they are coming. The Rainbow Trail could look like a north/south Wolf Highway this summer. Could be interesting hiking and ranching in a few months.)

Press Release
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) posted the updated Collared Gray Wolf Activity Map on its website to show where wolves are distributed around the state this month. You can view our Collared Wolf Activity Maps on the fourth Wednesday of every month that reflect collar data for the prior month. Please note, the watersheds in the southeast region that are lit up in this map represent the movement of one animal. As a reminder, in order for any watershed to indicate wolf activity, at least one GPS point from at least one of the wolf collars was recorded within the boundaries of the watershed within the last 30 days. Simply because a watershed indicates wolf activity, it does not mean that a wolf or wolves are
present throughout the entire water-shed nor that they are currently in the watershed.
On January 19, CPW completed capture and release work for the second gray wolf reintroduction season in support of the Colorado Gray Wolf Restoration and Management Plan. The activity information related to the reintroduced wolves from British Columbia as well as the wolves from the original Copper Creek pack is included in this month’s map. (See article on page 23)
As wolves begin to move to new areas of the state, CPW has prepared with expanded and improved capabilities for producers through the Conflict Minimization program that will allow for faster response to conflicts and higher likelihood of effective non-lethal deployment. This work results in improved strategies for altering depredation behavior early and reducing the potential for repeated depredations.

In early January, CPW also pub-lished a Wolf-Livestock Conflict Minimization Program Guide that provides information on a variety of tools and methods available for livestock producers to employ in efforts to reduce the likelihood of wolf-livestock conflicts and establishes a framework for CPW’s response, along with available support from other state, federal and nongovernmental organizations.
The public can register for a Non-lethal Wolf Conflict Reduction Training on February 12th in Buena Vista. The main focus of this training is to help educate the public and producers on effectively handling encounters with wolves. Join Colorado Department
of Agriculture, CPW, APHIS Wildlife Services and Colorado
State University Extension at this upcoming interagency training
session.
More information about Living with Wolves is available on our website https://cpw.state.co.us/

2025, Uncategorized

Love is in the Air

LOVE IS IN THE AIR
Salty Pine Floral & Boutique

Pepper Stafford- Floral Designer and owner of Salty Pine Boutique in Westclife

by Fred Hernandez
Ah, Valentine’s Day. The time for red roses, boxes of chocolates, romantic candlelight dinners for two and cute Cupid shooting his arrows at unsuspecting lovers. Despite all the hoopla on this signal day few actually know the origins of this celebration which is shrouded in deep mystery and is embedded with both Christian and ancient Roman traditions.
The Romans celebrated a fertility festival known then as Lupercalia. Dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, it involved animal sacrifice with the blood soaked in pieces of animal skin, slapped on the women who truly believed it would
improve their fertility. With the rise in Christian beliefs this annual festival was deemed “unChristian” and finally, it was outlawed at the end of the FifthCentury when Pope Gelasiusdeclared February 14th St. Valentine’s Day.
Before that Catholic history has it that there were three Valentines all of whom were beheaded by the Roman Emperor for various reasons.
The more popular legend is that the Emperor was convinced that single men made better fighters for his army and so, decreed that young men should not be married. St. Valentine, believing that the edict was too severe and unjust, secretly married young men until his actions were discovered and he was made a martyr.

St. Valentine then became the “patron Saint” of lovers. Today we have a whole industry dedicated to this one feast day. From greeting cards, to flowers, gifts of all kinds, dinners and celebrations and much more.
In Custer County we have a very special place where the joyful celebration of Valentine’s Day can begin for everyone. Salty Pine at 411 Main Street in Westcliffe is a most unique boutique that offers beautiful flower arrangements including fresh and beautiful, imported Ecuadorian Roses, hip clothing, dazzling jewelry and many other gifts. This is their 13th Valentine Day offering since the shop first opened on December 12, 2012. The owner, Pepper Stafford, highly recommends placing your orders ahead of time to ensure availability of products especially the imported Ecuadorian Roses will be available at last year’s prices. That is really good news since the price of roses everywhere is skyrocketing.

Also available are delicious gourmet chocolate covered strawberries, delightful assorted candy bouquets, live blooming and non-blooming plants, and what is called a dish gardencomposed of assorted plants.
Gift certificates are also available and one can place orders for delivery out of state. Salty Pine is open to serve everyone daily except Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You may want to check the entire product line at westcliffeflowershop.com or call (719) 783-9393.
Happy Valentine’s to everyone. A word of caution:..Cupid has his eye on you! Je t’aime.