Category Archives: Letters

2025, Custer County Kids

Heart for Students, Gift for Teaching

Heart for Students, Gift for Teaching
Shelley Green – GT Teacher of the Year

 

CCHS GT Students Collaborate during a spring 2025 classroom session. Courtesy photo

by Reggie Foster
Sangre de Cristo Sentinel

Custer County School District’s Gifted and Talented Education teacher, Shelley Green, has just been named the Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented Education’s Teacher of the Year. Green’s recognition shines the light on one of the many good things happening in Custer County’s schools.

Custer County Schools Gifted and Talented teacher, Shelley Green.

Green was thrilled when she learned of the recognition. Anyone who has been in her classroom or even in her presence understands the excitement and passion she exudes. Her energy is palpable and infectious. Green puts her heart into her work. She loves her students and they feel it – one of the many reasons they love her back.  In Shelley’s words, “I need you to know that this is my life’s work; to see my students…with eyes that illuminate strengths, passions, curiosities… and to elevate and support them into achievement.”

Continue reading Heart for Students, Gift for Teaching →

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 →

2019, Letters

Letter to the Editor: Supporting our Law Enforcement

Letter to the Editor,

While doing research for an article, I came upon a book which has been in my personal library since 1987. The following was written by the author, Dean Grennell, and may be found on Pages 81 and 82 of his book, Handgun Digest; A complete overview of hand gunning today.

“Like an upheld mirror, police service guns reflect the conditions of society. Cops are not warriors; they are the representatives of the public and public support is their real weapon. If such a public becomes so selfish and indifferent it places all responsibility on police officers, it is doomed to chaos and destruction. Continue reading Letter to the Editor: Supporting our Law Enforcement →

2019, Letters

San Isabel Land Protection Trust Opposes Augmentation Plans

To the Editor:
For the third time, the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District, based in Salida, has filed an augmentation plan that uses Wet Mountain Valley water. San Isabel Land Protection Trust opposes this action in order to protect water resources on our conservation easements. Continue reading San Isabel Land Protection Trust Opposes Augmentation Plans →

2018, BOCC Meetings

BOCC: Dec 18

Board of County
Commissioners (BOCC)
—December 18, 2018
WESTCLIFFE, Colo.
by Jackie Bubis
The meeting started at 9 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. Introductions of the public followed. The commissioner room was packed to overflowing. Most were veterans attending to hear the agenda item regarding the VSO position. Some were there for the agenda item concerning broadband. Continue reading BOCC: Dec 18 →

2018

Christmas Babies

Special Christmas Delivery at St. Thomas More Hospital

CAÑON CITY, COLO. – It’s just a few days until Christmas and two bundles of joy have been delivered at St. Thomas More Hospital’s Birth Center (STM). Michael David Hodges (Left, green hat) was born to Kyrstin Minich and Dylan Hodges. Briar Rose Grace Boone (Right, red hat) was born to Evelyn and Tyler Boone. Because STM believes in making every delivery special, stockings and knit caps were gifted to the newborns to help them celebrate their first Christmas. The stockings were created by STM volunteers and the knit caps were donated by Lifeway Southern Baptist Church.

2018, Custer County Kids

Bobcats Play Against Burros

by Barbie Gierhart.
Sports Reporter

On Saturday, December 15th Custer County High School Basketball teams had their home games against the South Park Burros. The Varsity Boys and Girls played hard, but both lost to South Park.
The Lady Bobcat’s final score was 45-38. Scoring the most points was Memphis Curry with 12.

Lady Bobcat Varsity Play Burros
Photo by sports reporter Barbie Gierhart

Katherine Mullett added 10 points, Lindsey Gillmore eight, Emma Aldrich seven, and Brittany Benoit scoring one point.
The Custer County Boys Basketball team took two tough losses over the weekend. On Friday, the Bobcats traveled to Colorado Springs and lost to ECA 62-32. WilliamBerry led the team in scoring and rebounding with eight points and 12 rebounds. Cash Rowley and Chad Lewenkamp each added six points. On Saturday, the Bobcats lost to South Park at home 50-34. Wesley Curtis lead the team in points with 11 and rebounds with seven. Ben Penkoff added six points. William Berry lead team with three steals and Chad Lewenkamp lead the team with three assists.
Coach Prins stated that “We had a lot of good looks, we just couldn’t make the shots.”
The JV Lady Bobcats also played South Park on
Saturday, December 15th losing to the Burros 35-25.

Lady Bobcats on Defense
Photo by sports reporter Barbie Gierhart

The Middle School Bobcat Boys played two away games last week. The A Team had an impressive win against Gardner 58-14. The B Team also won against Gardner 19-14. The A Team had a big win against South Park 44-17, but the B Team lost their game against South Park 11-2.

CCSD-1 JV Boys played Burros this week.
Photo by sports reporter Barbie Gierhart
2018, Custer County Kids

Football Awards Night

Football Award Night

Bobcat Football Raises the Bar in 2018

by CCSD-1 Coaching Staff
The Custer County High School Football team ended the year 5-4, and competing for a playoff position for most of the season. Leading the 2018 Bobcats were All-League selections seniors Ray
Perez and Adam Sapp and junior Cold Budds. Honorable mention recognition was extended to senior Chad Lewenkamp and
junior Patrick Post.
Ray Perez led the Bobcats in rushing with 723 yards, followed closely by Cole Budds with 675 yards, while Chad Lewenkamp led in passing with 304 yards. Patrick Post led the team in receptions with 6.  Leading the team in tackles was Budds with 131 tackles. For his efforts, Budds was awarded Defensive Player of the Year for the Bobcats and Perez was awarded the Offensive Player of the Year. Special Teams Player of the Year was awarded to Adam Sapp and Patrick Post for their commitment to and performance on the kicking teams. Practice Player of the Year was given to JD Morris.
The “Bobcat Award” which recognizes a player who best exemplifies the foundations of the football program was awarded to Chad Lewenkamp. “Chad was a great leader for us!”, noted head coach Troy Bomgardner. “He was the “do-it-right guy and an
awfully good football player, he will be greatly missed!”.
Other team awards given included: Most Improved Player- Elias Zeller and Tony Tomassoni. “Against All Odds” Award to Greyson Barwick, Hit of the Year Award to Jakob Morris. Highest Senior GPA Awardt to Chad Lewenkamp. “Pound for Pound” Award to Tyler Camper and Team Player Award to Casey Sargent and Jakob Morris. Captains for the 2018 season were Chad Lewenkamp, Ray Perez and Adam Sapp.
“I was very pleased with this year,” said Bomgardner. “Our players put in great effort and I felt they did “Raise the Bar” for our football program. We have a good number of returners and our effort continues to improve in the weight room so we are excited about 2019; this is a compliment to this year’s seniors.”

 

2018

Trash Wars: P Bar O Back in Business

by George Gramlich
After the hearing between Oak Disposal Services, Inc. and P BAR O Disposal et al on December 12th, in the Custer County Courthouse, Magistrate Michael William Weyrick, vacated the Temporary Restraining Order placed on P BAR O on November 20, 2018, allowing them to get back into business.
The courtroom was packed with about 125 attendees.
The Magistrate also declined to grant Oak Disposal a Preliminary Injunction against P BAR O. Continue reading Trash Wars: P Bar O Back in Business →