Jerome Lee DeGree of Westcliffe, Colorado, passed away October 23, 2018, peacefully in his sleep at his home.
He was born February 16, 1941, in Cañon City, CO, to John and Frances {White} DeGree. He met and married on March 27, 1965, Carolyn Barnum while he was stationed in the ARMY in Michigan.
For the two of them it was love at first sight and they would tell you that until the end. Continue reading Services for Longtime Resident Jerome Lee DeGree
by Fred Hernandez
On election day, November 06, 2018, less than five weeks from today, voters will find in their ballot, among the myriad of Amendments and Propositions, a Special District Measure known as Wet Mountain Fire Protection District Ballot Issue 7 A. Despite its long name the measure is quite simply a request to increase (by 2 mills) taxes for the Custer County Fire Department for collection in the calendar year of 2019.
In an interview with Fire Chief Kit Shy he outlines the very sensible rationale for the increase which comes to less than a hundred and ninety thousand dollars a year. Continue reading WMFPD Chief on Ballot Issue 7A
by George Gramlich
Analysis and Commentary
We get a ton of people asking us about our political opinions on various subjects here at The Sentinel. This year being no exception. A lot of folks have been asking about the 2018 Colorado Statewide Election on November 6th, and what we think about the people running and the ballot issues. Let’s have at it.
Part I: Brief Vote Summary of our State ballot issue choices.
Part II: Custer County ballot plus some analysis and commentary
on our calls on the State ballot issues.
Amendment V: NO. Lower Age Requirement for Members of the State Legislature
Amendment W: NO. Election Ballot Format for
Judicial Retention Elections
Amendment X: YOUR CALL.
Industrial Hemp Definition
Amendment Y: NO. Congressional Redistricting
Amendment Z: NO. Legislative Redistricting
Amendment A: YES. Prohibit Slavery and Involuntary Servitude
in All Circumstances
Amendment 73: NO. Funding for Public Schools
Amendment 74: YES. Compensation for Reduction in Fair Market Value by Government Law of Regulation (After reading this article, we are leaning toward NO.
Amendment 75: YES. Campaign Contributions
Proposition 109: YES. Authorize Bonds for Highway Projects.
(GG: This is the “Fix Our D*mn Roads” proposition. Paid for out of the General Fund, thus, no tax increase.)
Proposition 110: NO. Authorize Bonds for Highway Projects
(Huge tax increase!!!)
Proposition 111: NO. Limitations on Payday Loans
Proposition 112: NO. Increased Setback Requirement for Oil and Natural Gas Development. Continue reading The 2018 Ballot: Our Take
HERO BOY SAVES MOM AND SIS
Two Other Boys: Good Samaritans
by Fred Hernandez
It happened on the night of September 12th on Highway 96 about ten miles East of Silver Cliff, Colorado. A vehicle was traveling westbound when it went off the right side of the highway and flipped, end over end, before coming to a full stop upside down. Inside the heavily damaged vehicle a mother, who was driving, and two children in child safety seats; a boy of six and a baby girl of two, were trapped. Luckily all were wearing seat belts.
That is when our boy hero, Zayden Lazear (emphasis on age six), went into action. Somehow managing to extricate himself out of his child safety seat and its belt, Zayden also managed to get out of the crushed vehicle. He then made his way up to the highway… Continue reading HERO BOY SAVES MOM AND SIS
by George Gramlich
I met TL Davis four years ago at the Independence Day Parade in Westcliffe. He had come to observe and march with the Southern Colorado Patriots Club Second Amendment section of the parade. I didn’t know he was there until later in the day. That’s how TL operates, I found out later.
TL runs the blogspot “Christian Mercenary” (http://christianmerc.blogspot.com) where he writes perceptive comments on current politics from a clearly conservative, Christian viewpoint. He is definitely on the “prepper” side of the aisle, and like a lot of us, feels that an economic and/or political tsunami is coming soon.
After the parade, TL came over to the old Sentinel building and we had a chance to meet and have a nice chat. He told me about himself a little bit and that he was a writer and had written some books and even a play. Continue reading Book Review: T.L. Davis’ “Shadow Soldiers”
On Wednesday, October 3rd, Representative Jim Wilson was one of twelve state legislators recognized by Healthier Colorado as a recipient of their 2018 Healthy Communities Award. Healthier Colorado stated, “These twelve legislators planted a flag for healthy communities during the 2018 Legislative Session, coming out on top for their leadership on the most critical health issues facing communities throughout Colorado. In 2018, we saw positive bills aimed at increasing access to affordable school lunches, curbing the opioid crisis, and helping prevent suicides. We also saw troubling bills that promoted tobacco use and would have increased indoor air pollution”. All these bills and more contributed to the legislator’s scores.
Representative Wilson commented, “It is an honor to be recognized by Healthier Colorado for promoting healthy communities. It does not matter who we are or where we are from – we all want to live healthier lives. I was part of a great group of Senators and Representatives”.
Healthier Colorado works to make sure all Coloradoans have an equal chance of a healthy life. They do that by working to change policy – across party lines and with every tool possible – to connect Coloradoans with the policies that affect their health. For further information on Healthier Colorado’s 2018 agenda, check out their Legislative Scorecard.
Press Release
TAKE 3 recital featuring Lindsay Deutsch will perform at the historical Jones Theater on Sunday, October 7th at 2 p.m. as part of the InConcert: Classical Music in the Valley. Tickets may purchased through the Jones Theater.
During this classical music event, two local artists will be set-up in the adjoining Studio 2 area with their artworks for show and sale. Come by and enjoy the art before the concert, at intermission and after the concert.
Pop-Up Artists
Pattie Wall is a full-time valley resident and artist. She grew up in the front range area of Colorado. Promoting and participating in ART events is her key pastime. Making art/painting has been her way of communicating what she loves, often animals and places. Always planning, researching, creating or living ART, she thrives to explore new mediums. Her favorite medium is pastel and/or mixed mediums.
Jean Krueger currently divides her time between Westcliffe and Sun City, AZ. Trained as a architect, she uses design, color and composition to structure her paintings. She works in pastel, watercolor and oils. This past summer, she taught multiple classes in pastel and watercolor basics sponsored by the Sangres Art Guild.
Come Join Us !
Custer County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO)
—October 2, 2018
Press Release
On Tuesday, October 2, 2018, Custer County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Colorado State Patrol, executed a search warrant on 1089 County Road 310 in rural Westcliffe on a suspected Illegal Marijuana Grow. The search resulted in the arrest of two Cuban Nationals, 35-year-old Serguey Recondo Palomino and 35-year-old Yenny Pena Hernandez. Continue reading Cuban Nationals Busted for Big Illegal Pot Grow
by Fred Hernandez
This is the sequel to last week’s story about The House That Neighbors Built. When Mrs. Martha Starr of Cañon City found out that the house of her friend, Ms. Judy Field, co-volunteer at The Pantry, had burned to the ground, she made up her mind that Judy would not be homeless for long. The Pantry, where both Mrs. Starr and Ms. Field volunteer tirelessly, supplies food products from Care and Share, Loaf N’ Jug and other sources to over five hundred households in Fremont County. Continue reading The NEIGHBOR–BUILT House The Dynamic Duo Organizers
by Fred Hernandez
Exclusive from Sangre de Cristo Sentinel
WESTCLIFFE, Colo.
Tragedy struck with two sharp blows in quick succession. In November of last year, a son passed away as a result of violence that has the Fremont Police Department still in the process of investigating. Just weeks later, in December, her home of almost three decades, catches fire from a malfunctioning heater and the flames take away everything she owned including her beloved pet cats. Continue reading The House that Neighbors Built
