Tag Archives: George Gramlich

2025

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

by George Gramlich
Due to serious, personal health issues, we must shut the Sangre de Cristo Sentinel. This will be our last publication.
It’s been some ride. Thirteen years ago, four patriots had an idea: publish a conservative, Christian weekly print newspaper covering Custer County (and to some degree Fremont County). The founding partners were Mike Hess, George Gramlich, Mary Seifert and Rob Canterbury. Over the years Mike, Mary and Rob had to move on, leaving George Gramlich as the sole founder. It would be remiss of me not mention a “fifth partner” Kat Brenchley, as she was the glue that held the group together.

And thanks to the wonderful patriots who worked or volunteered over the years. These are a few of them: Fred Hernandez. Jackie and Dan Bubis, Barbara Napolitan, Galen Studebaker, Audrey Slater, Yvonne Phillips, Ann Barthrop, Becky Olson, Lisa Frank, Carol and Scott Clemenson, Ewa and Joe Sederstrom, the Chaffee County team, our picture-taking experts and many, many others to whom we are most grateful.
Plus special thanks to our current outstanding crew: Laura Vass, Fred Hernandez, Yvonne Phillips, Kat Brenchley and Galen Studebaker.
Over the years the Sentinel has helped in the effort to keep our County conservative. Here are just a few examples: killed Building Codes, killed the Dark Skies county law, raised $16k for Eagles
Summit Ranch for 12 vets to take the week long rehab course, two County Commissioner recalls where ‘we the people’ got rid of a bunch of poorly performing commissioners, Shield 616 where
we raised over $26k so our Sheriff’s Office could have state of the art body protection (special thanks to Sam Hepp on that fundraiser), ran the Independence Day Parade for many years, revived the Memorial Day Parade which we sponsored for many years, highlighted our local school via dozens and dozens of centerfolds, ran a slate of anti-pot candidates for the Silver Cliff town board which prevented the introduction of pot farms, pot stores, and locally sold pot in Happy Valley, brought the BOCC meetings to YouTube for the first time, fought manic Covid restrictions on businesses and our school that could have shuttered the town long-term, served as a hub for many a ballot petition, plus many, many more.
Maybe the best part of this adventure was meeting or just talking with our readers. You want to define hard core supporters? Just talk to the Sentinel’s readers. From the hardcore to the regular conservatives, they were loyal to the core. Thank you for supporting us.  God Bless.
Our Advertisers were the ones who kept us in business. You stuck with us as our opposition tried to peel you away from us. Special thanks to Bob Senderhauf (Custer County Realty) for his rock-solid support since Day One. Also thanks to Pat Bailey (Solar Solutions), Seifert Enterprises & Beach RediMix, Ray Swota, Norup Gas, Salty Pine, True Value Hardware & Trailers folks, Jean & Jack Canterbury, Brenda Bosse, Kirkpatrick Bank, Wet Mountain Storage, Jared Smith Dental, Holt Funeral Home, High Peaks Animal Hospital, Tony’s (Sam Hepp & Johnny Winton) and Westcliffe Supermarket – now Lowe’s Market.
There have been many non-profit and for-profit news sites, bloggers and columnists who have contributed exclusively and/or given us permissions to reprint their work over the years. To give a list would be desirable, but someone always gets left out. You know who you are. Close to home and for a long time, our readers would remember these: Mike Hess-A Sheepdog Barks, Jim Modlish-Politics & the Bible, Bill Wilson-Daily Jot, Audrey Slater-Kids Corner, and later on, Mark Bunch/Royal Gorge Gun Club, and Charlotte Burrous-Fremont County Crusader. Know that we are grateful and have appreciated your expertise and contributions over the years, helping to make our local paper “one of a kind”.
Four more thank you’s: The Sentinel would not have survived all these years without my best friend’s help. That man is Fred Hernandez. Through issue after issue, crisis after crisis, Fred stood tall and never wavered. He volunteered our very first year and has been a whirlwind of energy and productivity. Thank you, Fred, my best friend. I love you brother.
And then there is Laura Vass. Our computer lady. The woman is brilliant. She came on board without knowing our publishing software (which is very complex), and learned it in a short time. Laura produced nine years of issues. Laura puts the 24 page
Sentinel together every week and has never missed a beat.
God Bless you, lady.
Katherine Brenchley, our advertising lady and bookkeeper, saved the day a few years ago. Kat was one of the original crew but after a few years she had to leave. Even before she moved back to Happy Valley, Kat came back on board again four years ago and basically, saved the ship. Kat also does our centerfold (DT) and ad creation. (She was mentored by our prior sales lady, Barbara Napolitan. Thank you, Barb, for your dedication and work ethic.)
And then there is the lady who runs the reception desk and does a crucial variety of tasks every week, including subscriptions, proofing and archiving, with only a little bitch’n. She’s that person any office is lucky to have– who quietly serves everyone else’s needs and turns chaos into organization. Yvonne and I have been together for 33 years! We have worked together 24/7 on our various businesses over the years (including a 513-acre beef cattle ranch in upstate New York). Our love for each other is deep. We are not only lovers, but also best friends. I have been blessed. Thank you, my little Abenaki Princess. You are the love of my life.
Special thanks to David Codrea for giving us links on his super popular website, War on Guns. Also, Thanks to TL Davis. He is now at tldavis.substack.com.
Saying that, thanks to Mike Vanderboegh, the founder of the Three Percent movement. David and Mike were the first to report on the ATF gun running operation into Mexico. And remember that Mike came to Happy Valley and marched in our 2nd Amendment section in the Independence Day Parade. Mike loved Happy Valley.
A challenge to our fellow patriots: We are shutting down now but it is very doable to revive the Sentinel or start your own conservative newspaper. The ladies have all the knowledge to start a new newspaper. This little local newspaper has had a huge impact in our area. You can do it, too. Remember, media is where things get done. And the fight is local, Patriots, watching Fox News doesn’t cut it.
Finally, thank you to all my friends. It has been one heck of a ride!
— GG

Jesus said:
“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33b
Uncategorized

BOCC Passes Resolution Condemning Baghdad Biden for Treason 

Custer County BOCC Passes Resolution Condemning
Baghdad Biden for Treason
Vote 2-1

by George Gramlich,
News and Notations

-Westcliffe, Colorado

Things got pretty hot, like I mean real hot, at the end of the September 8, 2021, Custer County Board of County Commissioners meeting with childlike temper tantrums, verbal assaults and of course, multiple liberal snowflake meltdowns. But, in the end, it was well worth it as patriotism won and the fascist left lost. Hooah!

The meeting started promptly at 9 a.m. with all three musketeers in attendance: Chair Bill Canda, and members Tom Flower and
Kevin Day. Continue reading BOCC Passes Resolution Condemning Baghdad Biden for Treason  →

2019

Recall Polis Kickoff Rally

Recall Polis Kickoff Rally
Thursday, June 27th
Ex Gubernatorial Candidate Greg Lopez,
Recall Honcho Tom Good, Speakers

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
It’s almost here: the Recall Polis Petition Drive. As Tom Good, Director of the Recall Polis PAC says, “This is the largest multi-partisan movement to ever hit Colorado Politics. By being here, you’re already part of the solution, and I thank you for that.”
A daunting 631,266 valid petition signatures are required (some from every county in Colorado) to put our left-wing Governor Polis up for a recall election. (The election date will be set by the Colorado Secretary of State. It can be no sooner than 30 days after a successful petition and no longer than 60 days from that determination. Once recalled, there will be a new Colorado Governor election.)
It has to be done.
Liberty loving Custer County voters NEED TO STEP UP. We did it before by recalling our RINO County Commissioners a few years ago and we can do this now.
The first step is to attend Custer County’s Recall Polis Kickoff Event, sponsored by the Custer County Citizens for the Constitution and Liberty Rocks, Thursday, June 27th at Tony’s Pizza in Silver Cliff at 6 p.m. (Get there early to grab some food and drink.)
The featured speakers are ex Gubernatorial candidate Greg Lopez and the Director of the Resist Polis PAC Tom Good. Conservative Mr. Lopez will discuss the current state-of-affairs regarding the outrageous progressive agenda that Polis has successfully paraded through Colorado’s left-wing Senate and House. Mr. Good will outline the recall process and the tasks that need to be done to be successful.
It is anticipated that the Recall Polis petition wording will be approved by Colorado’s Secretary of State on July 8th.
The Sangre de Cristo Sentinel has been designated the Custer County Recall Polis Headquarters. We anticipate receiving the recall petitions July 10th. You can sign the petition there. We are also looking for patriots to volunteer as petition gatherers to help make this happen. Also needed are other business sites in Custer County willing to serve as petition gatherers. You can sit at home and let Colorado become a 2nd, degenerate California, or you can stand up and be counted and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
We have only two months to gather the huge number of signatures and we need to hit the ground running.
So, drop by The Sentinel and volunteer to TAKE BACK OUR COLORADO.
(Below is a partial refresher of what the left-wing  Polis led Colorado legislature did so far:
1. After the voters of Colorado rejected the oil and gas industry killing Proposition 112 last year, the new progressive Colorado legislature passed Senate Bill 181 which basically is Prop 112. This will essentially kill the Oil and Gas industry in Colorado and throw hundreds of thousands of workers out-of-jobs and will gravely hurt Colorado’s tax revenue. 2. The libs passed and Polis signed HB 1032, an extreme left-wing radical Sex Education bill that literally teaches numerous forms of sexual perversions to our children. Even in elementary school. Opting out is almost impossible. This alone is enough to recall this evil socialist. 3. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact bill, SB 19-042 passed by the progressives and signed by the lying Polis assigns our Electoral College votes to whoever wins the plurality vote in the U.S. Even if we voted for someone else. This means our votes DON’T COUNT and N.Y and California will rule the whole country. 4. The libs put an anti-TABOR referendum on the November Ballot eliminating the tax limiting TABOR law and allowing the libs to TAX US TO DEATH to fund their failed socialism model. 5. The RED FLAG BILL: HB 19-1177 allows for the cops to take your guns BASED ON AN ANONYMOUS TIP WITH NO EVIDENCE. This, folks, is socialism. Your property is not yours Your rights are negotiable.

Recall Polis and kill this thing. YOU DID NOT HEAR ONE WORD FROM POLIS ON THESE OUTRAGES WHEN HE WAS CAMPAIGNING FOR GOVERNOR. He hid his agenda and lied to the people of Colorado to get elected. If you want to live in a bankrupt state with insane taxes, have your kids taught sexual perversions in school, and have your guns taken away without a hint of due process, keep watching TV and Facebook. If you want to restore Colorado to a liberty loving, free state that embraces capitalism, free markets, personal responsibility and the 2nd Amendment, grab a petition and hit the streets. You can make a difference. TAKE BACK OUR COLORADO.

https://www.recallpolis.com/donate/

 

2018, BOCC

A County Wide Nuisance Law? Really!

BOCC: A County Wide Nuisance Law? Really!
Who/What Is Really the Nuisance Here?
The People or The Government?

 

An open letter;

To Commissioners Tom Flower, Bill Canda:
The county “nuisance” law recently proposed by the BOCC WILL start the slippery slope towards “Boulderizing” Custer County. This is dangerous ground.
I, and many, many others have seen it before.
It starts with litter, then it’s noise, then it’s noise from guns, then it’s Conex containers, then its dogs, then it’s your porch light, then it’s your cow manure, then it’s the paint on your house or barn, then it’s the old jeep in your yard, then its a broken down tractor, then its YOUR XXXX behavior annoying a California transplant. The bottom line is: THEN THEY COME FOR YOU. Continue reading A County Wide Nuisance Law? Really! →

2018

The Colorado Press Association: Part of the Deep State?

by George Gramlich, Editor

I received this email below from Jill Farschman of the Colorado Press Association last week:


The last line is a link to the Boston Globe article calling for all the newspapers in the U.S. to write editorials condemning President Trump’s attacks against the main stream media concerning the media coverage of him and his administration.
The Colorado Press Association (CPA) is the “trade” group for Colorado newspapers. It has been around for a long time. It is definitely left leaning. Regrettably, when we started the Sentinel six years ago we thought it prudent to join the CPA for a variety of reasons, one being credibility as a new, startup newspaper. It isn’t cheap to join. It became apparent when working with them and viewing their publications over a period of two years that the Sentinel was probably a lone sheep dog in a pack of left wing wolves. So we quit the organization. Continue reading The Colorado Press Association: Part of the Deep State? →

2018

Murder on the Grade

6/29/2018  From Page 2

 

 

 

Just a small sample of the incredible amount of broken down vehicles on the victom’s property.

Photo by George Gramlich

by George Gramlich
The Big Horn Ranch subdivision is located in the southern part of Fremont County off Oak Creek Grade (County Road 143). It is quite a large subdivision with small lots and large agricultural lots. About 30 families live there year-round. Most of the residents in Big Horn are retirees. It is about one mile to the Custer County line.
The main (and only) road going into the ranch is Shoshone Drive. About two miles in, there is a road veering off to the north called Chinook Drive. About a half a mile up Chinook is a private drive. On that private drive is Loa Kennedy’s property.
Loa Kennedy was murdered Sunday morning, June 24th on her property. Allegedly, quite brutally. Continue reading Murder on the Grade →

2018, Uncategorized

Hospital District Board: WHERE IS OUR SECOND AMBULANCE THAT WE PAID FOR?

Another Hospital District Mirage

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary
The critical issue of not having a 2nd Custer County EMS (CCEMS) ambulance with a qualified crew reliably available still plagues Custer County (CC) and its citizens. Not to mention that the Clinic has NO doctors. (See below.) This problem has been with us for a long time and has been quite visible for the last seven years or so.
It was supposed to have been solved with the large EMS mil levy ($280,000) voters approved in 2014 but that has NOT happened.
After reading multiple incidents on the daily Custer County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Incident Report and listening to them on the scanner, the Sentinel reached out to the Sheriff’s Office (SO) and asked if there were any statistics available for times when a 2nd CCEMS crew was needed and called and was NOT available. It turns out that there was. The SO was gracious enough to compile a spreadsheet from 1/29/18 to 6/12/18 showing the cases where someone in Custer County needed an ambulance crew while one was busy on another call and CCEMS could not provide the 2nd crew. To say the least,it is very, very alarming.
In a four-and-a-half-month period, FIFTEEN TIMES CCSO Dispatch requested a 2nd crew and CCEMS was UNABLE to answer those calls. In those cases, thankfully, Deer Mountain EMS was able to send their primary or SECONDARY ambulance to help CC out. On at least one call, Flight for Life was also called as it was uncertain if Deer Mountain could make it in time. (Flight for Life would have caused the patient to incur an enormous bill, of $10,000 to $20,000!)…

To read more, subscribe to our E-Edition at https://sangredecristosentinel.com/register/

2018

The CCEDC’s Broadband Towers Proposal The $2 Million “Road to Nowhere”

by George Gramlich,
Managing Editor
Analysis and Commentary
Introduction

Custer County should not commit to supporting this venture that the Custer County Economic Development Committee (CCEDC) is proposing. Government should be limited, especially when it comes to entering a private sector marketplace (Just look at what happened to healthcare.)
Just from a business perspective, the proposal lacks a detailed business plan, market analysis, income/revenue projections, firm cost and liability projections competitive analysis (satellites, etc.), technology evolution projections, and county infrastructure requirements to support the towers. The proposal is fatally incomplete and would be laughed out of any CEO’s office.
For Custer County to make a 20-year financial and
liability commitment to this incomplete, flawed and certainly doomed project would be fiscally irresponsible and a complete disservice to its tax paying citizens. Continue reading The CCEDC’s Broadband Towers Proposal The $2 Million “Road to Nowhere” →

Archives

Rockin’ the RECALL!

‘We The People’ Have Spoken
Huge Signature Counts to Recall
All Three Commissioners

by George Gramlich

Monday, August 14, 2017, marked a milestone in Custer County politics as the Take Back Custer County Recall Committee delivered 236 notarized recall petitions with enough signatures to have a recall election for each of the three Custer County Commissioners, Bob Kattnig, Jay Printz and Donna Hood. The recall election would be placed on the regular November 2017 election ballot at no extra cost to the county.
The Recall Committee was formed as a grass-roots, non-party affiliated, effort to replace the current Custer County Commissioners due to the Commissioners activities since Commissioners Printz and Hood were sworn in January 2017. Commissioner Kattnig took office two years ago. Some of the items that motivated the Recall Committee to form included the incredible mismanagement and lies surrounding the Colorado Extension Agent Robin Young affair; the seemingly endless drive to impose a building codes ordinance on Custer County despite the obvious vast majority opposition to it; the attempt to impose a ‘dark skies’ outdoor lighting amendment to the zoning ordinance that has criminal and financial penalties if you use the wrong outdoor light bulb or fixture; the continued public false statements by Printz concerning whether he is indeed returning the 30% salary increase to the county and not taking the county health benefits; more false statements by Printz concerning his repeated assertions that a building codes ordinance was required to get federal flood insurance; the failure of the BOCC to listen to the people in the public meetings on Young, building codes and dark skies; the obvious arrogant attitude by the BOCC towards the citizens of the county, both in public meetings and on the street; the disrespect shown to the Custer County Republican Central Committee (CCRCC) by all three Commissioners when after they were elected in (Kattnig in 2015 and Hood and Printz in November 2016) and using the CCRCC to get elected, then failed to come to any of the regular monthly meetings. In addition, they incredibly refused to attend the most important CCRCC event of the year, the Lincoln Day Dinner (with Kattnig attending the Democrat dinner instead!); and the lies of omission during the campaign last year by Printz and Hood in failing to mention that their intention their top priorities after getting elected were building codes and dark skies.
The trio leading the recall effort and the signees on the applications for the recall were Custer County citizens Ann Barthrop, Ann Willson and Mike Haga. They in turn recruited a non-partisan Recall Committee team consisting of 61 Custer County residents who turned in a astounding 79 petitions handed in for Kattnig, 79 for Hood and 78 for Printz.
The Recall Committee needed the following number of signatures to place each Commissioner on recall in the November 2017 election: Hood – 735; Printz – 582; and Kattnig – 470. The Committee easily beat each number with citizens delivering an amazing 839 recall signatures for Hood, 780 for Printz and 780 for Kattnig. All in just four weeks!
The petitions were delivered to Custer County Clerk Kelly Camper last Monday who will review and certify each signature. If enough signatures are certified for each Commissioner, their name will be placed on the November ballot for recall. The ballot will ask if one wants to recall the specific Commissioner, yes or no, and will also allow one to vote for any candidate who successfully petitioned to get on the ballot.
Ann, Ann and Mike stated that they were honored to have a committee that worked countless hours and gave of their time to represent the voice of the Custer County citizens. The citizens have shown Courage, Bravery and Strength to have their voices heard in this recall effort and need to continue this effort and VOTE on November 7, 2017.
This is possibly the first time in the history of the State of Colorado that all of a county’s commissioners have been placed on the ballot for recall. This is huge, folks.

 

2017, Archives

The New Custer County: Change an Outdoor Light Fixture, Go To Jail

Commissioners Proposed “Dark Skies” Ordinance
Criminalizes Light

June 30, 2017 issue- Sangre de Cristo Sentinel

by George Gramlich,
News and Commentary

At a public meeting last week, the three Custer County Commissioners, Bob Kattnig, Jay Printz and Donna Hood, finally revealed their proposed “Dark Skies” or “light pollution” ordinance they have been talking about since the two new Commissioners (Printz and Hood) were sworn in this January. Note that there was barely a mention of it during the campaign last year.

The Commissioners’ proposal wants to amend the Custer County Zoning Regulation of 2016 to regulate outdoor lighting throughout the county (The Towns of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff have their own zoning laws.) They want to change the current non-enforceable, zoning law definition of “Light Pollution” to “Light Pollution defined as any adverse effect of the use of artificial outdoor lighting at night. See Section 8.2.G and Appendix D.3(p) for further information.”

The new Section 8.2.G reads like this:

“8.2.G: In order to minimize light pollution, all outdoor lighting shall be rated correlated color temperature of 3000 Kelvins or less, and any light source exceeding 500 initial lumens must be fully shielded. A “lumen” is measurement of the brightness of a particular light bulb or lamp. The following is a “lumens to watts” table:”

No need to print the whole table. (See Ordinance Proposal.) The first line is all you need to know. It says a light source of 600 lumens is equivalent to a 40-watt incandescent light (old school light bulb), a 10-watt florescent light and a 5 – 9 LED light. If my math is correct, any incandescent light bulb over 33.3 watts is subject to this ordinance.

Continue reading The New Custer County: Change an Outdoor Light Fixture, Go To Jail →