Tourism Board Seeks Funding Requests
The Huerfano County Tourism Board (the financial arm of the tourism council) is now accepting requests from organizations promoting the county with events or promotions. The board asks that a short request form accompanied by a marketing budget be submitted. Decisions will be made at the next meeting of the board at 11:30 am Mar. 6 at Lathrop Park Visitor’s Center. The tourism council meets at 10 am at the same location Mar. 6. The request forms may be obtained from Debra Malone, chair; Mickey Villella, vice-chair, Carolyn Newman, secretary; or from the county administrator’s office in the court house. The three-member board, orgamized under state statutes, is appointed by county commissioners. The finances come from the 2% lodging tax. The tourism council, open to all, is the advisory and working tourism group.
Conservancy Board
The Board of the Huerfano County Water Conservancy District will meet at 6:00 pm on Monday, February 25, 2008 at 525 South Albert Avenue, Walsenburg. The meeting is open to the public.
Cash Advance Open House
The Huerfano County Chamber of Commerce is holding a Ribbon Cutting and Open House for Cash Advance, 340 W 7th. on Feb 26. Ribbon cutting 4:30 pm, Open House 5 pm. Please come by for refreshments and welcome our new business owners to Walsenburg.
Childcare Center Now Open
Spanish Peaks Childcare Center, located on 201 E 5th St., (Washington School) is now open. The Center is accepting children aged two through school-age at this time. A nursery will be added in the near future. Every child is special at Spanish Peaks Childcare Center. The staff is dedicated and professionally trained. Nutritional meals are provided for the children each day. Educational programs are designed to provide each child with opportunities to suceed and learning experiences are designed to enhance their growth and development. Spanish Peaks Childcare Center is open Monday through Friday 7:30 am until 5 pm. Applications are now being accepted. For more information call 738-2335.
Two Peaks Panel Discussion February 28
LA VETA- Three men who grew up in the shadow of the Sangre de Cristos and who are spokesmen for Hispanic culture in the valley will introduce the Two Peaks One Book selection, Bless Me, Ultima.
Rick Manzanares, Juan Espinosa, and Ruben Archuleta will speak Thursday, February 28 at 7:00 at the La Veta Public Library as the first of five events. Rick Manzanares is Museum Director for the Fort Garland Museum, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2008. Juan Espinosa is Night City Editor of the Pueblo Chieftain where he writes a weekly column. Ruben Archuleta is the author of four books and a New Mexico Book Awards finalist in 2007 for his latest book, Penitente Renaissance, Manifesting Hope. He is also a photographer and a sculptor and has served for 30 years with the Pueblo Police Department. Archuleta, will guide a tour of the Hispanic Room of the Francisco Fort Museum before and after the panel presentation.
Trout Delivery
PUEBLO- The potential recreational and environmental effects of the planned Southern Delivery System pipeline from Pueblo Dam to Colorado Springs will be the topic under discussion at the March 13 meeting of Trout Unlimited in Pueblo. Drew Peternell, Colorado Trout Unlimited’s lawyer and the Director of the Colorado Water Project, will address concerns about the pipeline as it is currently presented in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The DEIS was scheduled for public release on Feb. 29. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. at 119 W. 6th Street in Pueblo. For further information, call 719-566-6834. This program is free and open to the public.
NAP Deadline
The application sales closing date to purchase 2008 NAP (Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program) coverage for spring seeded crops such as corn, sorghum and oats is March 15, 2008. Since that falls on Saturday, applications will be accepted until Mon. March 17. NAP provides a guaranteed level of protection against weather disasters for noninsurable crops. There is a $100 service fee per crop up to $300 per county not to exceed $900 per producer. To qualify for NAP, a producer must be a landowner, tenant or sharecropper who shares in the risk of producing an eligible crop. Please contact the Las Animas/Huerfano County Farm Service Agency as soon as possible at 719-846-3681 to ensure your crops are covered.
Police Blotter
01/25/08 Michael Gallegos, 66, Denver, was arrested on suspicion of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Failed to Display Lamps when Required. 01/26/08 Samson Lopez, 29, Trinidad was arrested on suspicion of Harassment/Domestic Violence. 01/28/08 Ryan Rios, 27, Walsenburg, was arrested on an Outstanding Warrant out of Huerfano County for Failure to Appear for Dangerous Drugs with a $10,000 bond. 01/30/08 Patrick Salazar, 32, Walsenburg, was arrested on suspicion of Harassment/ Domestic Violence. 02/08/08 Patrick Salazar, 32 Walsenburg, was arrested on suspicion of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Speeding, and Violation of a Protection Order. Daniel Willburn, 22, Walsenburg, was arrested on suspicion of Violation of a Protection Order, and False Reporting to Authorities. Samuel Drogo, 20, California, was summoned into court on suspicion of illegal consumption of Alcohol by an Underage Person. 02/09/08 Nicholas West, 22, Walsenburg, was arrested on suspicion of Felony Menacing. Nathan Vigil, 20, Walsenburg, was arrested on suspicion of harassment/ domestic violence, criminal mischief/domestic violence, and resisting arrest.
Animal Control Blotter
Currently, the Walsenburg Police Department Animal Shelter has the following: A Male Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix, brown and white, approximately 3 years old, picked up on the 600 block of Pinon on Feb. 6. Available for owner release or adoption. A female Husky, black and white with a red Collar, approximately 1-2 years old, picked up on the 500 Block W. 7th St. on 2/16/08 at 4 pm. Available for Owner Release.
Local rancher saves failing feline
by Mollie Fuller
TURKEY RIDGE- Four year old Reid Edmonson is all smiles now- his beloved pet cat is back home after being gone for nearly a month. The cat was discovered in the bottom of an abandoned cont. p.3 Feline cont. well at Turkey Ridge school house by the Fuller family. The feline was despondent and in failing health.
Now, as everyone knows, firemen rescue stranded kitties, so the Fullers called local Fire Chief Gerald Jerant, who was reluctant to send help. So, without assistance from a fireman and ladder, rancher Larry Fuller devised a plan and put it into action. Using his exceptional skills, Fuller created an escape route for the cat by placing a length of board into the well. Mrs. Fuller also placed a large amount of cat food into the well.
Within a day, the cat was well fed and climbed out on its own. It is a mystery how the cat got into the well, but some speculate it was due to the strange orange glow in the sky a few days before.
