Index

INDEX

Our Mission…Everything AroundUS is dedicated to bringing communities together and building relationships with the businesses, organizations, government entities, educational institutions and residents. Our focus is to provide information so individuals can rediscover their hometowns and visitors can see them SHINE!

About US…Everything AroundUS and Merged Media, the parent companies of Around Trinidad and Around SoCO, can help with internet strategies such as customized website design, traffic, search engine optimization, articles, banners, links and website validation. We also offer traditional marketing services such as branding, product design, print media, audio and video. Our companies offer more opportunities for businesses by promoting events and social activities in communities.

We take the world around us and bring it to you! Everything AroundUS pushes social networking to the next level by using our platform to pro-mote businesses with giveaways, social activities and exciting events! Our team merges the virtual elements of social networking with traditional promotions to give businesses the ultimate market-ing experience. Everything AroundUS brings the community together and builds value for local businesses and services by helping people access everything a community has to offer. We use the power of one communication platform to highlight the fun and excitement around us.

With over 40 years of combined marketing experi-ence Everything AroundUS has developed an incomparable social networking solution. We make it easy for individuals and businesses to enjoy and connect with their communities. AROUND SoCO CREDITSEDITOR-IN-CHIEF/OWNERE.R.A. McCartheyART & DESIGN DIRECTOR/OWNERJay MartinezEXECUTIVE MANAGING EDITORMarty HackettFEATURES DIRECTORDavid J. Santistevan Jr.

Around SoCO has been funded by Merged Media and Everything AroundUS. It was built by Jay Martinez, E.R.A. McCarthey, David J. Santistevan Jr., Marty Hackett and many lovely people in the SoCO Area.

Pg.1 Around SoCO Local Cities’ Balancing Acts

Pg.2 Backyard Vacation Discover Our History-The Santa Fe Trail

Pg.3 Business Spotlight More than a Sportsman’s Resort Letter from the Editor

Pg.4 HEALTHY LIVING Friendly Reminders about Pediatric Oral Health

Pg.6 SoCO Education Young Leaders of Tomorrow

Pg.7 DINING Southern Colorado Cuisine SoCO Restaurants

Pg.8 Horoscopes

Pg.9 SoCO Entertainment Brad Zinn

Pg.10 Howdy Visitors Happy Trails Things to Do

Pg.11 Family Time On Target!

Pg.13 SoCO Lodging

Pg.14 SoCO FRESH AIR The Eagle’s Boundless Spirit of Freedom

Pg.15 Hall of Fame Pueblo and Aspen Receive Award

Pg.16 Hall of Shame The End of the World

Pg.18 SoCO Government Aqua Vida!

Pg.19 SoCO Sports Famed Coach John Gagliardi Retires

Pg.21 Cover Story E.R.A. The Movement that Shaped Me

Pg.22 SoCO Style and Beauty One Color is Not Enough

Pg.23 Around SoCO Map

Pg.26 Paw News What does your pet say about you?

Pg.27 Are You Man Enough Gun Control

Pg.29 Around Trinidad Cover

Pg.31 Around Trinidad Resurrection of Life An Easter Story Things to Do

Pg.32 Trinidad Cover Story Redwing Electric Inc. Fuels Colorado’s Economic Fire Art and Music Whole Community Art Garage Sale at the Mitchell Museum

Pg.33 Trinidad Fresh Air First Things First

Pg.34 Trinidad Style and Beauty No More Bad Hair Days

Pg.35 Trinidad Healthy Living A Beacon of Health and Wellness

Pg.36 TSJC’s College Spot Children Feeling Better

Pg.37 Trinidad Sports Lady Miners Building Hoops Tradition with a Bright Future

Pg.38 Trinidad Hall of Fame Helping Students Succeed

Pg.39 Scholastic Hall of Fame

Pg.41 Trinidad Business Spotlight La Quinta Trinidad Ranked No. 1 in Nation!

Pg.42 Trinidad Paw News “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”

Pg.43 EDUCATION Eggciting Times for Early Learning Center Children Family Time Thank a School Bus Driver Today!

Pg.44 NEW VIEWS Not as Boring as You Think

Pg.46 Government County Report Card Shows A for Effort

Pg.47 Trinidad Treasures Valued Members The Easter Gift

On The CoverE.R.A. McCarthey and Jay Martinez, owners of Around SoCO and Around Trinidad. Photo by Mike Tranter.Inset: E.R.A McCarthey as an infant with political activist Gloria Steinem. Photo by Diana Mara Henry.

Around Trinidad Cover:Easter bunnies Domonique and Donielle Quintana are ready for spring! They are the daughters of Shantell Quin-tana featured in our Cover Story.

Local Cities’ Balancing ActsBy Kathleen Donnelly

It’s that time of year again. It’s time to think about taxes and finances, and with the federal budget problems that have been dominating the news, there may be even more than the normal amount of grumbling while gathering receipts and prepar-ing for a trip to the tax preparer this year.

Although the federal government can’t get its act together, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer have to begrudg-ingly acknowledge that governments must have revenue to provide the services that we need.

Like Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, local cities don’t have the option of running up huge deficits. Although cities have a number of revenue streams, includ-ing fees and fines and utilities billings, their main source of funding comes from sales and use taxes. The elected officials and professional staff do a lot of forecasting and planning, but ultimately have to wait and see what kind of tax revenues they will have to work with. In lean years, they have to make some hard choices.

Tom Acre, Trinidad’s new City Manager, said that although the city’s sales tax receipts through No-vember 2012 were down just a little bit from 2011, he was hopeful that final December 2012 holiday season sales report would keep the city’s financials for 2012 on par with those of 2011.

The city’s 2013 budget includes a 31% increase in health insurance premiums, and the city is not planning to implement employee furlough days this year, Acre said.

Trinidad’s sales tax is 4%, out of which, 1 % is des-ignated for capital improvements. Combined with revenue from grants, highway user tax funds, and lottery money, a variety of capital improvements are planned for 2013, including land acquisition for the Boulevard Addition Nature Park, improve-ments and renovations to municipal buildings, the Way-Finding Signage Priority 1 project, normal city-wide street improvements of paving and seal-ing, and parks & recreation improvements, includ-ing Monument Lake.

Trinidad City Council recently passed a new electric rate ordinance that both slightly lowers and raises electric power rates depending upon the usage and season. It does phase out the power cost adjustment fee this year, but Acre said that it “could come back if we experience an increase in electric-ity costs from suppliers that we will have to cover.”

One of the difficult funding decisions for the city each year is that of local non-profits that request some of their funding from the city. They are

worthy causes that provide needed services and add to the quality of life in the community. Eleven non-profits were funded a total of $57,285.00, only half of what they requested. Funds were not avail-able for four others. City Planner Louis Fineberg said that he is looking for grants to help these organizations.

In Pueblo, sales and use taxes are the principal source of income for the city’s operating and capital budgets. The city sales tax rate is 3.5% which includes a half cent that is dedicated to job creation/economic development through the Pueblo Economic Development Corporation (PEDCO). Enhancing long-term fiscal sustainabil-ity through focused quality economic development remains a priority for Pueblo City Council and city management. Pueblo sees economic development as the solution to what they refer to as “structural financial imbalances,” with revenues not keeping up with costs.

In creating the city’s 2013 budget, and looking forward, officials are exploring options for revenue enhancement and cost-sharing, while keeping expenditures contained. Debbie Morton, Interim Director of Finance, said that City Council did not want to dip into the city’s 10% reserves in order to balance the budget, and Council and city staff all worked very hard to avoid that.

Pueblo has a number of diverse fees and charges for services, including Land Development fees, Medical Marijuana, False Alarms, Fingerprint fees, Fire Inspection, Police Reports, Recreation fees, Ice & Arena rentals, Park Rides tickets and Pro Shop sales. Municipal Court, Animal, and DUI fines also contribute to the greater good. Personnel costs are the single largest expenditure item in the budget and the city has a hiring and funding freeze on all non-mission critical employ-ment. This includes more than forty full-time positions. Health insurance costs increased 12% in 2012.

Essential services obviously have priority for fund-ing in local government, but the City of Pueblo will also provide $753,750.00 this year in contributions and donations to local non-profit organizations that do so much for the community.

The primary source of revenue for capital projects are Highway User Tax Funds, which are limited for the use of street maintenance. Colorado Lot-tery funds are used for parks and open spaces, including the Arkansas River Legacy trails project. Pueblo is undertaking the renovation of two historic buildings, City Hall and Memorial Hall, to create a new city hall. Funding sources for this huge project include historic preservation grants, grants from the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), as well as general fund money.

The City of Raton, New Mexico, is also experienc-ing the same kinds of budgetary challenges and City Commissioners and management are working hard to provide outstanding services to its citizens, carefully shepherding its revenues and resources and working on creating economic growth.

Raton City Manager Pete Kampfer said that the city’s budget, like the last, is very tight. The city is facing the closing of its landfill, monitoring the groundwater beneath it for thirty years, and the construction of a transfer station to collect and transport trash to a regional landfill.

Still, Raton is providing 3% merit raises for its employees this year, and continues to value and prioritize quality of life services, like the Regional Aquatic Center for its citizens. The city is taking the step of forming a new Economic Community Development Department. The salary of the Ex-ecutive Director will be paid with funds from the city’s lodger’s tax, and the Executive Director will also serve as the Executive Director of the Raton Main Street organization.

While our regional cities are not immune from economic hardship, unemployment, loss of businesses and declining population, the elected officials and staff are working hard to use available revenue wisely, while keeping these communities healthy, vibrant, and a great place to live.

Around SoCO

Backyard VacationDiscover Our History-The Santa Fe TrailBy Marty Hackett

History is everywhere and in every hometown. History is a part of who we were, who we are, and who we will be. We would be remiss as parents and teachers if we didn’t take the time to show and share the history found in our own backyards.

Our children learn the story and details of the San-ta Fe Trail in textbooks, but what could be better than a day trip along the historic route including a visit to some of the towns and landmarks to refresh and renew our own appreciation of local history.

Begin in Trinidad with visits to the Bloom House Mansion, the Baca House, and the Santa Fe Trail Museums. Other visits along the Trail should include the A.R. Mitchell Memorial Museum of Western Art, the Louden-Henritze Archeology Museum, the Southern Colorado Coal Miners Memorial, Old Fire House No. 1 Museum, the Vet-erans Memorials at the Colorado Welcome Center and the Ludlow Memorial Monument.

Heading east from Trinidad on Highway 350/160, takes you to the Comanche Ranger District which

lays claim to the internationally known Dinosaur Trackway at Picket Wire Canyon which continues to excite researchers and visitors alike with new discoveries. Picketwire Canyonlands is located about 25 miles south of La Junta. The area is ac-cessible by foot, bicycle, or horseback. Allow for a full day hike, and be sure to bring plenty of water and food. Guided tours with the US Forestry Service are available by appointment. Tours oper-ate in May, June, September and October. You will find a complete itinerary of your auto tour of the dinosaur tracksite at http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/coma/palo/autotour_brochure.pdf.

With nine Wilderness areas, numerous Scenic Byways and a full spectrum of outdoor opportuni-ties, it is no wonder that the Pike and San Isabel National Forests Cimarron and Comanche Na-tional Grasslands rank third highest in the nation for recreational visits. To make reservations for The Picketwire Canyonlands Auto Tour please call 719-384-2181.

Continuing east on the Santa Fe Trail a visit to Lamar in February will net you the opportunity to attend the annual Snow Goose and Birding Festival. While in the area, don’t miss visiting the Big Timbers Museum in Prowers County as well as Camp Amache National Historic Site and the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site. Traveling into Otero County in southeastern Colo-rado you’ll have an opportunity to see the Koshare Indian Museum, the Otero Museum complex and a visit to Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, a

fur trading post.

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site features a reconstructed 1840s adobe fur trading post on the mountain branch of the Santa Fe Trail where traders, trappers, travelers, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes came together in peaceful terms for trade. Today, living historians recreate the sights, sounds, and smells of the past with guided tours, demonstrations and special events. Frontier Skills Day: March 16, 2013

Adults are invited to take on various roles at the fort for a day. Be a hunter, blacksmith, trader, carpenter, laborer, or domestic. Nineteen work techniques accurate to the fort’s history will be taught and experienced as part of their character role’s regular work routine of the 1840s. Visitors are invited to observe the participants as they practice their skills. Pre-registration is required so call first. (719) 383-5026 for more information.

End your journey in La Junta with a stop at Boggs-ville Historic Site located off U.S. Highway 50 on Colorado Highway 101, 2 miles south of Las Ani-mas. Boggsville was the last home of Kit Carson. For more information contact Richard Carrillo at (719) 456-0453.

Don’t miss any of these exciting stops along the Santa Fe Trail on your exclusive Backyard Vacation to learn more about our area history. For informa-tion on any of these sites, visit www.santafetrailscenicandhistoricbyway.org.

2

More than a Sportsman’s Resort

By Kathleen Donnelly

The 33,000 acre NRA Whittington Center, located between high mesa lands and the foot of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains seven miles west of Raton, New Mexico, defies an easy description as a sportsman’s resort. It is so much more.

Best known for hosting both competitive and amateur shooters and shooting sports groups on its seventeen shooting ranges, the Center also offers other exciting outdoor activities ranging from hiking and horseback riding to hunting, wildlife watching and photography.

Locals and visitors alike should make it a point to visit The Frank Brownell Museum of the Southwest located in the Center. Fascinat-ing exhibits focus on the history and firearms of the southwest, including exploration of the conquistadors, mountain men, pioneers and infamous old west outlaws.

The Center’s gift shop offers outdoor cloth-ing, firearms, southwest jewelry, art and more! There is something for everyone to take home as a souvenir…or a consolation gift for the friends and family who didn’t get to vacation in this wide-open outdoor paradise.

The Whittington Center offers various hous-ing options, including tent camping, RV hook-ups, rustic log cabins, and larger, more fully equipped family suites, even back country cab-ins, accessible only by 4-wheel drive. Conve-niently close to the city of Raton, visitors also have the option of lodging in town, where they may also enjoy the great shopping and fine restaurants Raton has to offer. Historic and picturesque Trinidad, Colorado is just twenty minutes north of Raton on I-25.

Several fun day trips are close by, such as a trip to Bent’s Fort on the Santa Fe Trail Scenic and Historic Byway, and the Scenic Highway of Legends loop through the foothills and breathtaking mountains west of Trinidad through Cuchara, LaVeta, Walsenburg and back to I-25.

The Whittington Center is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and it is open “from dawn to dusk” every day of the year except Christmas Day. For more information and a 2013 schedule of events go to the Whittington Center website at www.nraw.org or call 575-445-3615.

The Whittington Center is a non-profit orga-nization supported by facility user fees as well as tax-deductible contributions and corporate sponsors.

Business Spotlight Letter from the EditorSpring is in the AirSpringtime is a time for new beginnings, new growth and fresh ideas. Around Trinidad is springing forth with its own new growth. We apologize for the time it has taken us to pub-lish this issue however, we wanted the intro-ductory issue of Around SoCO to be the very best it could be for you. We have combined the March issue of Around Trinidad as a feature of Around SoCO, which will have distribu-tion points throughout the Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico region giving our advertisers an expanded marketing area and our readers an inside look into who and what we are here in SoCO.

We have included everything there is to do, where to eat, where to shop, where to sleep and where to go for entertainment plus much, much more! The centerfold map is Google ready so everyone can find what they’re look-ing for. Scan codes are placed throughout the magazine so you can access everything from your automobile or via the internet. Around Trinidad and Around SoCO are highlights of everything Southern Colorado has to offer.We hope you enjoy the Around SoCO maga-zine, of which there is nothing comparable in the area! We are always open to ideas and suggestions, so please contact us by calling 719-422-3301 or email us at info@aroundtrinidad.com.

Don’t miss your FREE daily news at www.aroundtrinidad.com and www.aroundsoco.com.

Friendly Reminders about Pediatric Oral Health Special contribution from the Huerfano-Las Ani-mas Early Childhood Advisory Council

The Huerfano-Las Animas Early Childhood Advisory Council celebrated February as National Children’s Dental Month, per the American Dental Association. The HuLA Council is promoting five topics of interest regarding Dental Health to help develop good habits at an early age and to help families get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

Sippy Cups and Your Child’s Teeth As soon as teeth appear in the mouth, decay can occur. One of the risk factors for early childhood caries (sometimes called baby bottle tooth decay or nursing mouth syndrome) is frequent and pro-longed exposure of a baby’s teeth to liquids, such as fruit juice, milk or formula, which all contain sugar.

Important Tips:

• Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle • Encourage your child to begin drinking

from a sippy cup by their first birthdays• Sippy cups should not have the valve in-

side that prevents spills, but rather should flow smoothly so your child learns to sip rather than continue sucking

• Don’t let your child carry the training cup around. Falling while drinking from a cup has the potential to injure the mouth.

• A training cup should be used temporari-ly. Once your child has learned how to sip, the training cup has achieved its purpose and can graduate to the next level.

Talk to your dentist for more information. If your child has not had a dental examination, schedule a well-baby checkup with your dentist. The checkup should occur within six months of the appearance of the first tooth and no later than the child’s first birthday.

Mouth guards: Sports equipment that protects the smile Each year, thousands of teens get hurt on the play-ing field, the basketball court, or while skateboard-ing, biking or during other activities. Blows to the face in nearly every sport can injure your teeth, lips, cheeks and tongue.

A properly fitted mouth guard, or mouth protector, is an important piece of athletic gear that can pro-tect your teeth and smile. New findings in sports dentistry show that even in non-contact sports such as gymnastics, rollerblading, and field hockey, mouth guards help protect teeth and recommend that a mouth guard be worn for any recreational activity that poses a risk of injury to the mouth.

All three types of mouth guards - the ready-made, or stock, mouth guard; the mouth-formed boil and bite mouth guard; and the custom-made mouth guard made by your dentist, provide protection but vary in comfort and cost. Just make sure that your choice is resilient, tear-resistant and comfortable, fits properly, is durable and easy to clean, and does not restrict your speech or breathing. Your dentist can suggest the right mouth guard for you.

Take care of your mouth guard by cleaning properly with water, antiseptic mouth rinse, or toothpaste and toothbrush; storing in a firm, per-forated container, avoiding high temperatures; and checking for damage

Are you prepared for a dental emergency? Would you know what to do if your child broke a tooth or had a tooth knocked out while playing outdoors? What if you had a bad toothache in the middle of the night and couldn’t get to the dentist until the next day? Knowing what to do can lessen the pain and save a tooth that might otherwise be lost. Add your dentist to your list of emergency numbers and call immediately for instructions on how to handle a dental emergency.

Toothache: Rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss or an interden-tal cleaner to remove any food or other debris that may be caught between the teeth. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth. This could burn gum tissue. If the toothache persists, try to see the dentist. Don’t rely on painkillers. They may temporarily relieve pain but your dentist should evaluate the condition. Knocked-out (avulsed) tooth: Try to find the tooth and try to stay calm. Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse the root in water if the tooth is dirty. Don’t scrub it or remove any attached tissue frag-ments. If it’s possible, gently insert and hold the tooth in its socket while you head to the dentist. If that’s not possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and bring it to the dentist. Time is critical for suc-cessful reimplantation, so try to get to your dentist immediately.

Broken tooth: Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean the area. Use cold compresses on the out-side of the cheek to help reduce the swelling.

Tongue or lip bites or wounds: Clean the area gently with a clean cloth and apply cold com-presses to reduce any swelling. If the bleeding can’t be controlled, go to a hospital emergency room or clinic. You may able to reduce bleeding from the tongue by pulling it forward and using gauze to put pressure on the wound.

Objects caught between teeth: Try to gently remove the object with dental floss. Never use a sharp instrument to remove any object that is stuck between your teeth. If you can’t dislodge the object with floss, contact your dentist.

Possible broken jaw: Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Get to the hospital emergency room immediately.

Sipping, Snacking and Tooth Decay What children eat and when they eat it may affect not only their general health but also their oral health. Common activities may contribute to the tendency toward tooth decay.

Reduce your children’s risk of tooth decay by following these tips:

• Sugary foods and drinks should be con-sumed with meals. Saliva production in-creases during meals and helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth.

• Limit between-meal snacks. If kids crave a snack, offer them nutritious foods.

• If your kids chew gum, make it sugar-less – Chewing sugarless gum after eating can increase saliva flow and help wash out food and decay-producing acid.

• Monitor beverage consumption – Instead of soft drinks all day, children should also choose water and low-fat milk.

• Help your children develop good brush-ing and flossing habits.

• Schedule regular dental visits. • Read labels and plan carefully for a bal-

anced, nutritious diet for you and your kids.

For additional information contact Jennifer Sanchez McDonaldHuerfano-Las Animas Counties Early Childhood Advisory Council Coordinator

412 Benedicta Ave, Trinidad, CO 81082 Email: jsmcdonald@la-h-health.orgPhone: 719.845.0463

HEALTHY LIVING 4

SoCO ShoppingPueblo Springside Cheese Shop517 W. 5th St., Pueblo, CO 81003719-696-9120

Rebound Sports1214 S. Prairie Ave., Pueblo, CO 81005719-564-2002

Jack Armstrong Jewelers119 W. 4th St., Pueblo, CO 81002877-689-6972

Allen Heart Fabric1021 N. Market Plaza Ste. 107, Pueblo West, CO 810071-877-511-8864www.allenheartfabric.com

Aguilar Ringo’s Food Market213 E. Main St., Aguilar, CO 81020719-941-4450

TrinidadA.R. Mitchell Museum Gift Shop & Gallery150 E. Main, Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-4224www.armitchell.org

The Corner Shop101 E. Main St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-3301www.trinidadcornershop.com

Curly’s Bead Emporium301 W. Main St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-8647

Teri’s Hallmark & Floral155 E. Main St, Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-3544

Francesca’s Unique Gifts & Furniture212 N. Commercial St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-845-8508

C&S Outdoors238 N. Commercial, Trinidad, CO 81082719-845-0300

Wild Sense Aromatics115 N. Commercial St., Trinidad, CO 81082217-320-1446wildsensearomatics@gmail.com

i Love Sugar Shoppe259 Commercial Street, Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-2000www.iLoveSugarShoppe.com

RatonSports Arena116 N. 2nd St., Raton, NM 87740575-445-3108

Solano’s Boot and Western Wear101 S. 2nd St., Raton, NM 87740575-445-2632

Young Leaders of TOMORROWBy Mike Garrett Six Las Animas County high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding citizenship and scholarship qualities were honored at a Feb. 9 brunch hosted by the Santa Fe Trail Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution at Trinidad Municipal Golf Course Restaurant. Some 45 DAR members, award-receiv-ing students and their families attended. The Good Citizens Committee consists of longtime Trinidad historian Roberta Cordova, an honorary regent, Judy Mangino, Patty Kinder, Pam Russell, Lori Mann and Michelle Kinder. Each recognized senior good citizen was selected by his or her school faculty and other students for their dependability, community service, leadership and patriotism, according to chapter correspond-ing secretary Michelle Kinder. Only one student per year may be honored as each county school’s DAR Good Citizen. Each selected student can then enter the DAR Good Citizens scholarship contest and write a patriotic essay on what they most like about living in America. Judges for this year’s essay contest were Deb Hartman, new Trinidad & Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce president and South Cen-tral Early Childhood Learning Center Director, Trinidad Kiwanis Club President Ed Norris and Mariposa Rehab Center owner Karen Malone. Honorees were Ruth Anne Philbin, Trinidad High School, Anthony Higgins, Aguilar High School, Kaitlyn Mantelli, Primero High School, Brett Gonzales, Holy Trinity Academy, Wyatt Mincic Barry, Branson High School and Alaina Rollo, Hoehne High School. Keynote speaker was Gale Crafton, Colorado State Regent from Denver with DAR regent Gwen Sciacca serving as mistress of ceremonies.

First-place award winner Mantelli read her essay to the attendees. She focused on how she feels about the importance of developing a knowledge regarding American citizens’ all-encompassing rights to vote and how vital she considers her right and responsibility to vote in any local, state or national election that determines the future course of America and the role patriotism and national security plays in that role. Crafton outlined an American heritage theme sur-rounding the preamble to the American Constitu-tion and how vital it is to preserve the Constitution and its guaranteed freedoms upon which America was founded. She noted that the U.S. Constitution is still a document of “We the People, in order to form a more perfect union” and was written to give governing powers to the people, by the people and for the people. She noted how each of the winning students ex-emplified the qualities of good citizenship and all came highly recommended by their teachers and school counselors. Each essay finalist was presented with a certificate, pin and monetary award with Mantelli receiv-ing the highest monetary sum. Her essay will be judged at the state and national levels. Mantelli, daughter of Keith and Jennifer Mantelli, is a member of her school honor roll, is a national Honor Society President her sophomore and junior years and is senior class president. She is a member of Future Business Leaders of America, the varsity volleyball team, and earned various academic awards in Spanish, math, science and English. She has been on Primero’s school year-book staff since 2009. The other five finalists were also actively involved in their respective schools’ extra-curricular activities while earning various academic achievements.

Photo by Mike Garrett: From left- Kaitlyn Man-telli, Primero HS; Wyatt Mincic-Barry, Branson HS; Ruth Anne Philbin, Trinidad HS; Anthony Higgins Aguilar HS; Alaina Rollo, Hoehne HS; and Brett Gonzales, Holy Trinity Academy.

SoCO Education

6

Southern Colorado CuisineBy Marty Hackett

Restaurants in Southern Colorado offer everything your palate desires whether it be southwestern, steak, sushi, wild game, Italian, Mexican, German, Asian, American or something in between. Secret recipes abound so that no two of the same dishes are prepared the same, and everyone has their favorites. Grill it, roast it, bake it, eat in, take out, or have it catered. The possibilities are endless!For centuries people have been known to eat any-thing that walks, swims, crawls, or flies. I suppose it just takes an open mind and a willing stomach. Rocky Mountain oysters, also known as Cowboy Caviar, Swinging Beef, Calf Fries, Prairie Oysters, or Montana Tendergroins are one of the West’s special delicacies.

At roundups in the old West, cowboys and ranch hands looked forward to this little treat after a hard day’s work branding and castrating the young bulls during the annual round-ups on the ranch. When the calves are branded, the testicles are cut off and thrown in a bucket of water. They are then peeled, washed, rolled in flour and pepper, and fried in a pan. When the “calf fries” exploded, they were done!

Animal genitalia are considered an aphrodisiac in many countries and the practice dates back to ancient Roman times. The belief has been that when a male ate a healthy animal’s organ, it would reflect that state of health on his own. Testicle festivals are held in many states of the Western U.S. but if you’re one of those rugged folks who are not squeamish, you can find a restaurant or bar that serves them all year long, or contact your nearest butcher or rancher to reserve them for you.

Rocky Mountain Oysters Recipe

Recipe Type: Beef, Calf TesticlesYields: makes many servingsPrep time: 2 hrs.

Ingredients:2 pounds calf testicles*2 cups beer2 eggs, beaten1 ½ cups all-purpose flour¼ cup yellow cornmealSalt and ground black pepper to tasteVegetable oil**1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce

* Be sure to ask your butcher for calf testicles, not bull testicles. Calf testicles are the size of a walnut and are much tenderer than the larger bull testicles.

** Use enough vegetable oil to fill your frying container halfway to the top (to allow for bubbling up and splattering) and to completely cover calf testicles while frying.

Preparation:

With a very sharp knife, split the tough skin-like muscle that surrounds each testicle. Remove the skin (you can remove the skin easily if the testicles are frozen, then peel while thawing). Either leave whole or slice each testicle into approximately 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick ovals. Place slices in a large pan or bowl with enough beer to cover them; cover and let sit 2 hours.

In a shallow bowl, combine eggs, flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper.

Remove testicles from beer; drain and dredge thor-oughly in the flour mixture. In a large, deep pot, heat oil to 375 degrees F. Deep fry 3 minutes or until golden brown (will rise to the surface when done). Drain on paper towels.

Serve warm with your favorite hot pepper sauce.

SoCO RestaurantsColorado CityObie’s Fillin’ Station – Exit 74 off I-25Home cookin’; country store; saloon719-676-4227, info@obiesbbq.com

WalsenburgFireside Café 606 Main St., Walsenburg, CO 81089719-738-1109

PuebloMr. Tandoori Urban Bar & Grill310 S. Victoria Ave., Pueblo, CO 81003719-544-3000, mrtandooripueblo.com

El Nopal1435 E. Evans Ave., Pueblo, CO 81082719-423-8128

TrinidadRino’s Italian Restaurant & Steakhouse400 E. Main St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-845-0949http://www.rinostrinidad.com

Bella Luna Pizzeria121 W. Main St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-2750

The Corner Shop Cafe135 E. Main St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-7119

Nana & Nano Monteleones Deli and Pasta House418 Main St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-2696

Tequila’s Family Mexican Restaurant9900 Santa Fe Trail Dr. I-25 Exit 11, Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-3514

Lee’s Bar-B-Q825 San Pedro St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-845-7621

Purgatoire on Elm516 E. Elm St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-3901www.purgatoireonelm.com

What A Grind341 N. Commercial, Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-0505

Raton, NMSands Restaurant350 Clayton Rd., Raton, NM 87740575-445-4024

K-Bobs Steakhouse1228 S. 2nd St., Raton, NM 87740575-445-2548

El Matador1012 S. 2nd St., Raton, NM 87740575-445-9575

DINING

Horoscopes AriesIf you have any unfulfilled promises or commitments this week it is advisable to satisfy them. Do not abandon your friends in difficult times, it is very hard for them to do without you. Previous partners or colleagues may invite you to participate in a project. If everything does not go as expected at this time, do not be fooled by the difficul-ties you overlooked. On the contrary, if you organize your time optimally there will be no need to return to a task twice.

TaurusPrepare for a dynamic week of unpredictable events. You will have the incredible luck to end some old, exhausted links and you will have new opportunities to meet new people, potential partners and supporters. Almost every day you have important business meetings, conversations regarding future activities where you will find new op-portunities for expression. A relatively easy to deal with important financial problem will arise. Rely on reason rather than intuition.

GeminiYour lucky events of the week will be fewer and you can spend more time resting. Use this time to unleash your imagination and consider future plans. Try to make advance schedules for each day. This will help you be flex-ible and respond quickly when needed, which will cer-tainly be necessary. You may be faced with an unexpected business trip or be surprised with an urgent problem that cannot be solved without your intervention.

CancerYour work does not scare you, quite the contrary. And this week will once again prove that you’re not just working, but you’re able to do several things at once. Moreover, the results will please you even though you are usually dissatisfied and want more. Your energy level is stable and will remain so. You will get some additional revenue to help you deal with a financial problem. Share pleasant moments with your loved ones, you will feel even better.

LeoEarly in the week you can look past customers or partners who are satisfied with your work. Your active participation and responsible attitude towards the tasks will have a significant impact your bank account. Do not forget to put into action the most charming smile! It will attract attention to you from someone who does not care about you. Remember when starting a new relationship you should consider ending the old one first. And do not forget the old wisdom: You can be too nice and people will take advantage of that!

VirgoProblems motivate you. And that can begin your week with some difficulty. You will handle it with ease, then you might consider some changes related to everyday life or contacts. Once you create a vision and strategy for ac-tion you will feel much better. So it is only natural at this point that you would seize inspiration and a desire for entertainment. Follow them, you need emotions.

LibraSomebody will seek you out to join in a very complex task. This will inspire you with confidence and you will be able to quickly get rid of your doubts and hesitations. Although the work will be accomplished with collective talents, working as individuals will ultimately prove that the final successful result is mainly due to your work and talents. They may invite you to pilot this team again and to offer additional work so do not hesitate to answer.

ScorpioForgotten financial problems will come to the fore, but favorable conditions this week will help you to decide. If it is a loan, hurry to settle. When it comes to investments, take the plunge only if you have regular income. When signing a long-term loan, read the terms carefully.

SagittariusYour financial situation is unstable, and it may be health related matters as the cause. Minor problems may rob you of time and effort to find a solution at the beginning of the week. On a personal connection, relationships will become clear. You may be receiving small additional income from a single transaction or activity. Do not rush to spend it, you will soon have the opportunity to invest in a profitable investment.

CapricornTry early in the week to systemize and prioritize tasks to create a constant work rate. If something new comes up you will have to react flexibly and quickly. It is recom-mended to use the scarce free time to improve and catch up on your missing skills. Do not ignore signs of health problems that could eventually result in missed work when everyone needs you most. A dynamic week and successful week – you will receive at least one of your heart’s desires.

AquariusYou usually act spontaneously and without advance plans, but this week you will be ready to schedule your first day. And in vain! Events will show that your strategy to work “without scheme” is more profitable and you will know that your reactions are voluntary and you will be-gin to organize tasks flexibly which will banish boredom. Your enthusiasm can diminish quickly and completely and will lead to winter fatigue which will be your health problem. For this, seek medical advice. For everything else you can ask your friends.

PiscesSome of the tasks this week will be associated with your direct responsibilities. Do not ignore them, even though at first you may be uncomfortable. Their implementation will require unconventional thinking and you will have the opportunity to showcase your creative potential. If unsure or have difficulties making decisions, ask your friends. They cannot help you with advice, but will direct you where to look for the right solution. The end result will have a positive impact not only on income but also on your positions.

Get Your Daily Horoscope at www.AroundTrinidad.com & www.AroundSoCO.com

8

Brad Zinn’s “The Great Comedians, Those Felt Hat and Big Cigar Funny Men”Brad Zinn’s presentation is a heartfelt salute to his childhood heroes that includes generous portions of comedy, music, juggling, magic, rope spinning,

audience participation, and extended imper-sonations of Johnny Carson, George Burns, Jack Benny, and Will Rogers. Brad’s impressions also in-clude W.C. Fields, Groucho Marx, Jimmy Durante, George Jessel, Fred Allen and Red Skelton.

The show begins with Brad’s own comedy and interactions with the audience, followed by a memorable “Tonight Show” visit with Carnac, the Magnificent (Johnny Carson) that leads smoothly into a visit from the inventor of the “topical monologue” – Will Rogers. Will enters spinning a rope and regales the audience with witty observa-tions from the world of current events, circa 1932. Amazingly, Will’s satire sounds as though it could have been ripped straight from today’s headlines!

Next is an uncanny recreation of George Burns. George talks about his early years in show business up to the time when he met and married Gracie Allen and they became an instant success. George warbles a memorable vaudeville tune or two, and finishes with a poignant “Say goodnight, Gracie.” Gracie’s voice is heard to cheerily reply, “Good-night.”

The only person that can follow George Burns is of course, his old friend Jack Benny. Jack (as por-trayed by Brad) strolls onstage with horn-rimmed glasses and violin in hand. After leading the audience in singing “Happy Birthday,” Jack hilari-ously explains how he raises money for symphony orchestras. He ends with his famous violin, solo, “Love in Bloom.”

The show’s rousing finale is an original song, writ-ten by Brad and musician friend Bill Swayze, “The

Great Comedians.” The tune includes segments highlighting Groucho Marx, W.C. Fields, Fred Allen, Jimmy Durante, Ed Sullivan, George Jessel, and others. The beloved Red Skelton concludes the evening with his signature “Good night, and God bless!”

Brad Zinn began his acting career at the age of five and his four decades of stage experience are showcased in this one completely unique and unforgettable presentation. Brad has performed The Great Comedians for more than five years to international critical and audience acclaim. The show bridges generations with hilarity and clean, timeless laughs. While those over forty will have no trouble identifying with the entertainers portrayed, younger generations find it a totally enlighten-ing glimpse into show business history. In a style of humor they may never have been exposed to, as the play unfolds they find themselves laugh-ing alongside their parents and grandparents. The presentation makes a powerful emotional connec-tion with those who remember, while delivering a thought provoking and thoroughly entertaining theatrical experience for everyone.

For more information on Brad Zinn’s performance at Pueblo’s Damon Runyon Theater visit www.runyontheater.org.

Performances are March 16 beginning at 7:30 and a special presentation, “Magic with Brad Zinn” on Mar. 17 at 2 p.m. Call 719-564-0579 for package prices and tickets. More on Brad Zinn at www.greatcomedians.net.

SoCO ENTERTAINMENT Pueblo

Pueblo SymphonyPerforms for the Riverwalk every year, provides concerts and promotes arts in education Concerts performed in Hoag Recital Hall at CSU-Pueblo2200 Bonforte Blvd., Pueblo, CO 81001719-545-7967

Sangre de Cristo Arts Ballet, Buell Children’s Museum, arts classes, fam-ily theatre and more210 N. Santa Fe Avenue, Pueblo, CO 81003719-295-7200

Trinidad

SCRT-Year-round theatre at The Famous Performing Arts CenterProfessional and Resident131 W. Main St., Trinidad, CO 81082 719-846-4765

Movie Picture Show House3600 E. Main St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-0552

Purgatoire on Elm516 E. Elm St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-3901www.purgatoireonelm.com

Gino’s Sports Bar991 E. Main St., Trinidad, CO 81082719-845-0388

Monte Cristo Bar124 Santa Fe Trail Dr., Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-6314

Raton

Shuler TheatreRestored opera house featuring world class per-forming arts131 N. 2nd St., Raton, NM 87740575-445-4746

El RatonMovie house featuring latest movies, simulcast operas and assorted entertainment115 N. 2nd St., Raton, NM 87740575-445-7008

9

Howdy VisitorsHappy TrailsBy Marty Hackett

Welcome to the Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico region where we treat our visitors like gold. We love our tourists and want to be sure you have a great experience while visiting our area. We encourage and empower our business owners and employees with an understanding of the impor-tance of delivering excellent customer service to all patrons. We want you to enjoy your visit.

Throughout the region along the I-25 corridor, along the Santa Fe Trail or by way of one of our Scenic By-ways you will find a multitude of historic

towns. Meander through forests, ranchlands, mountains and plains and enjoy the scenic beauty as you drive. But do not pass by the many oppor-tunities to learn of the history of our people, to see the crafts of our artisans, or to take part in one of our many annual events.

The area offers a distinct array of recreational opportunities both in the fair weather months and winter. Enjoy the great outdoors by hiking or mountain climbing, biking, ATV off road adven-tures, dude ranches, fishing, hunting, or watching wildlife. Visit one of our popular national forests or parks and visit our historic landmarks. The list of activities is endless and chances are you are not going to be able to squeeze all there is to do in one visit so you will have to come back again. Travel safely and as our forefathers said “Happy Trails!”

For more information on any of the Southern Colorado or Northern New Mexico areas visit the Chambers of Commerce or Welcome and Informa-tion Centers or visit www.aroundsoco.com.

PuebloSaturday, March 2 - Pueblo Choral Society concert featuring representations of the “Magnificat”, by J.S. Bach and John Rutter, performed by the Pueblo Choral Society and guest choir, the CSU-Pueblo Concert Choir, with orchestra. Adult Admission $20. 7:30pm Hoag Recital Hall, CSU-Pueblo. Con-tact: 719.544.4455

Friday, March 8 - Home & Garden Show Kick Off Night. Join us for Kick Off Night at the 2013 Home & Garden Show. $10 includes food & drinks. Nail Driving competition at 6pm. www.HomeAndGar-denShowPueblo.com. Fun begins at 5pm. Colo-rado State Fairgrounds. Contact: Shawn Sandoval. 719.545.9484.

Saturday, March 16, Saturday, April 13 Legislative Brunch hosted by the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce at the Pueblo Convention Center – 320 Central Main – one block west of I-25 – First Street Exit 98B – (behind the Marriott Hotel) Cost is $15.00 Chamber members and $20.00 non-member. For more information visit the chamber at www.pueblochamber.org or email Mariellen Marino at mariellenm@pueblochamber.net.

Wednesday, March 20 Pueblo Home of Heroes Student Essay Contest Awards Ceremony. Winners and runners-up of the annual essay contest and their families will come together with members of the Board for Pueblo Home of Heroes to read their winning essays and receive their awards. Refresh-ments will be served. Fun begins at 7pm at the Rawlings Public Library Ryals room 4th floor100 E. Abriendo AvenuePueblo, Colorado 81004. Con-tact Paulette Stuart at 719.544.2435.

Friday, March 22, Saturday, March 23, 7:30pm and Sunday, March 24 2pm. The Graduate -Tickets are $13. Call 564-0579 or visit www.runyontheater.org for reservations. 7:30pm - 9:30pm at 611 N. Main St. - Damon Runyon Theater Contact: Emily Briggs at 719.564.0579.

Monday, March 25 - Latin Jazz - U.S. Air Force Academy Band Chamber Recital Series. The U.S. Air Force Academy Band 2012-2013 Chamber Concert Series is a great event for the whole family! The concerts, which are free and open to the public, feature performances by different Air Force Academy musicians each month. Join us, The Pueblo Chieftain, U.S. Air Force Academy and the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, in supporting our Air Force and the art of music! Tickets are not required. Music begins at 7:30pm at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center210 N. Sante Fe Ave. Pueblo, Contact: Tracey Mattoon-Amos at 719.404.2780

TrinidadSaturday, March 9 – “All Revved Up! Presented by the TSJC Educational Foundation. The annual Fun and Friendraiser will feature speaker Lonnie Shelton, owner of Babe Ruth’s last car – “The Babe” will be present for viewing, and guests enjoy and reception and silent auction, dinner and special program at Scott Gymnasium. For info contact Toni De Angelis at 719.846.5520. Fun begins at 5pm.

Saturday, March 9 – AR Mitchell Museum fund-raiser – Bowling for Art. Head to Trinidad Lanes to support the museum. Get a team together and enjoy this silly, zany night of fun. 7-9:30pm.

Saturday, March 23 – Attention Ladies, young and young at heart. Don’t miss the Ladies Only event of the Year. The annual Women’s Exchange “High Tea” will begin at 10 am in the cafeteria on the TSJC campus. Silent Auction, plated luncheon and fashion show and more. Contact Karen Malone at 719.846.4178

RatonFriday, March 29 – “Aqua Easter Egg Hunt” Easter egg hunting in a pool! Search for eggs underwater and swim with the Easter bunny at this unique event! 1pm March 29 & 2pm March 30. Contact 575.445.4271 for more information.

THINGS TO DO

Family TimeOn Target!By Marty Hackett

The staff of the Colorado CSU Extension office, serving Las Animas and Huerfano Counties, are very proud of their 4-H program and the youth who participate. “They are very well-rounded youngsters,” agreed Lorri Arnhold, County Direc-tor, Dean Oatman, Interim County Director/Huer-fano County Extension Agent and Jim Hamilton, the State Shooting Sports Coordinator for Colo-rado. “4-H goes way beyond cows and cooking. We teach them how to become better people and better citizens through the knowledge and discipline they learn while having fun doing a variety of projects.” The three also agree that 4-H is a great way to con-nect as a family, doing projects together as parents become involved with their children’s activities.

A 4-H study that reviewed out of school youth development programs including 4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs, Scouting, YMCA and other organiza-tions determined, “When the strengths of youth are aligned with family, school and community resources, positive youth development will occur.”

Family time is one of the key elements in positive youth development and falls in the 5 Cs of 4-H teachings: Competence, Confidence, Character, Caring/Compassion and Connection. Connec-tion is defined as positive bonds with people and institutions that are reflected in exchanges between the youth and his or her peers, family, school and

community in which both parties contribute to the relationship. The result of these 5Cs is “contribu-tion,” to self, family, community and institutions of a civil society.

The highest enrollment of any discipline offered to 4-H students in Colorado happens to be shooting sports. As with all 4-H activities, 4-H shooting sports is a family project. As a family, you decide how much you participate and the sky is the limit in determining how far you can go- even as far as the Olympics! Parents play a critical role in the program supporting their children in the home and in the field resulting in a stronger family unit.

“These youngsters have the opportunity to learn new shooting skills in archery, air rifle and pistol, .22 rifle, muzzle loading and shotgun, guided by trained and certified adult volunteers,” explained Jim Hamilton, “But they also learn skills that they will carry with them throughout their lifetime.”

America is concerned about the lack of respect shown by today’s youth, and blame is being placed on a number of factors including technology, public schooling, and more, but the answer most likely lies in the heart of the family and upbringing of our children. Research shows that 4-H mem-bers are more likely than other youth to succeed in school, become leaders in the community, are less likely to drink alcohol, smoke, use drugs or commit crimes. They have better self-esteem, are more compassionate and are more likely to excel at whatever they choose to do.

The youth in shooting sports learn marksmanship, safe and responsible use of firearms and archery equipment, principles of outdoor skills and more. They learn conservation ethics as well as an appre-

ciation and understanding of natural resources.

“We have had more insurance claims for our sew-ing group than we have had for our shooting sports group, because we teach “Safety First, Second and Last,” said Hamilton. The shooting sports discipline works cooperatively with the National Rifle Associ-ation, the local officers of the Division of Wildlife, the Whittington Center, Trinidad State Jr. College Gunsmithing, the National Wild Turkey Federa-tion and others in the community. By their second year of participation, youngsters are required to obtain their Hunter Education Cards. Participants are given opportunities to demonstrate their new shooting abilities at local, regional and statewide events including the NRA Youth Hunter Education Challenge and the Colorado State Fair.

For additional information on Shooting Sports or other 4-H activities contact Jim Hamilton at jim.hamilton@colostate.edu or call your local 4-H Directors.

Las Animas County - Lorri Arnhold at the Colorado State Extension office 719-846-4907Bent County - Nancy Fireden 719-456-0764Crowley County - Brett Burgess 719-267-5243Custer County - Beverly Goertz 719-783-2514Fremont County - Pam Carl 719-276-7390Huerfano - Angela Treece 719-738-2170Prowers County - Melanie Haslam 719-336-734Pueblo County - Valerie Billings 719-583-6566Spend some quality time together as a family and help your child be the Best they can Be!

Real StoriesRick RitterExecutive Director, Otero County Health Department

My dad’s name was Carl Ritter. He was one of my best friends and we spent a lot of time together, that is until lung cancer claimed his life and took him from us. My father was a World War II veteran who was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. He saw tough times and was a strong man. He had been a smoker since his 20s, but later quit and took up spit tobacco.

In the summer of 1996 we were moving something and my dad said his shoulder hurt. We thought it was arthri-tis, but the pain didn’t get better. It got worse. When I saw my dad in that much pain, I knew something was wrong.

We took him into the doctor for some tests and later we got that fateful message from his doctor. “I need to see you in my office, please come in tomorrow.” My heart was filled with dread and I couldn’t wait, so I went to the doc-tor’s house that night. I told him that I was sorry for the intrusion, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep unless I knew what he suspected. Knowing that my dad had a history of smoking, I blurted out, “Do you suspect lung cancer?” The doctor said, “Yes.” Then began the quick, inevitable deterioration of my father’s health.

My mom was a smoker as well. She had her first cigarette around 15 years of age. When we received confirmation of the lung cancer, I talked with my mom and explained to her that if she smoked around dad it could only make matters worse. My mother smoked her last cigarette that day.

It took that life-jolting experience to finally motivate her to quit. Although, because my mother had been a smoker for decades, she too was affected by her habit and died of congestive heart failure 10 years later.

Before he got sick, my dad and I had a joke: He would ask me, “What time did you get up, son?”

I would say 7:00 a.m. Dad, who got up usually around 4:00 a.m. would say, “I had my nap before you even got up.” I sincerely miss that gentle ribbing! He was an active man, even in his early 80s. He was always busy doing yard work, working on the house, cars, helping other people. Lung cancer then reared its ugly head and changed all of this permanently. In a span of two to three months, his mental and physical decay was unbelievable. I saw my dad in a lot of pain. I saw him almost reduced to tears. In September 1996, just a few months after we received the diagnosis of his lung cancer, my dad was in the living room sitting in his chair. He was just a withered shell of his former self. His eyes were glazed over and he was unable to speak or communicate. Around midnight his breathing became erratic. I said, “Let’s give him a hug and say goodbye.” My wife, brother, mother and I knelt around him and hugged him tightly. I said, “It’s OK Dad, Let go,” and he died right there in our arms. Actively recalling this horrific episode in my life is not easy. My dad was never able to meet my children and I miss our “best buddy” handshakes. What had been one of my worst fears as a kid – losing my parent – came true. But every time I think of all that my family has lost, I think of all of the lives that could be saved.

My appeal is simple: If you are smoking and you can’t quit for yourself, do it for your kids. Don’t risk putting your children through what we suffered. And my appeal to kids: Don’t start smoking. Using tobacco can cost you the ultimate price: Your life.

SoCO LODGING PuebloHoliday Inn Hotel & Suites Pueblo4530 Dillon Dr., Pueblo, CO 810081-877-508-1762www.holidayinn.com

Hampton Inn & Suites Southgate3315 Gateway Drive, Pueblo, CO 810041-719-566-1726

TrinidadHoliday Inn3130 Santa Fe Trail Dr., Trinidad, CO 81082719-845-8400www.holidayinn.com

La Quinta Inn & Suites2873 Toupal Dr., Trinidad, CO 81082719-845-0102www.lq.com

Royse Ranch Bed & Breakfast10000 C.R. 43.6, Trinidad, CO 81082719-845-0353info@royseranch.comwww.royseranch.com

Quality Inn Trinidad3125 Toupal Dr., Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-2529www.qualityinn.com

Best Western Trinidad900 W. Adams St. (Exit 13), Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-2215 www.bestwesterncolorado.com

Frontier Motel815 Goddard Avenue, Trinidad, CO 81082I-25 & Exit 15719-846-2261

Budget Host Inn & RV Park10301 Santa Fe Trail, Trinidad, CO 81082I-25 & Exit 11719-846-3307

Trail’s End Motel616 East Main, Trinidad, CO 81082719-846-4425

RatonAmericas Best Value Inn Raton Sands300 Clayton Road, Raton, NM 877401-800-454-0427

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Raton101 Card Avenue, Raton, NM 877401-575-445-1500www.hiexpress.com

13

The Eagle’s Boundless Spirit of FreedomBy Marty Hackett

Information courtesy of the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife

Eagles are the number one animal that Americans say they want to see in the wild. Colorado in the winter offers prime viewing opportunities for both bald eagles and golden eagles. Up to 1,200 bald eagles spend the winter in Colo-rado. Bald eagles are attracted here by relatively mild winters. Look for them near open water where they hunt for fish or ducks. Most of the bald eagles leave Colorado in late February and March, heading north to nesting grounds in the northern U.S., Canada and Alaska, but a few remain year-round. Golden eagles prefer rugged cliffs with adjacent open country where they feed on a variety of birds, reptiles and mammals, though jackrabbits are their primary prey. Unlike bald eagles, golden eagles are common nesting birds in Colorado but they too move about during different times of the year. There are roughly 900 active golden eagle nests in Colo-rado. The majority of the golden eagles nest in the northwest part of the state during the summer. In wintertime, golden eagles are more broadly distrib-uted throughout the state, but they are particularly

visible on the eastern plains. Eagles are protected birds, which makes it illegal to kill or possess eagle feathers, body parts, nests, eggs or live birds without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. At one time, the bald eagle was an endangered species; however, conservation efforts helped the birds recover. The Fish and Wildlife Service removed bald from the endangered species list in 2007.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s 2013 “Eagle Days” festival held on Feb. 1-3, 2013 featured eagle-viewing opportunities, hands-on activities for youngsters, live bird programs and educational presentations by raptor experts. This year’s festival, took place at three locations: Lake Pueblo State Park, the Pueblo Nature & Rap-tor Center and the Pueblo Zoo. Each year the event draws hundreds of visitors from across the state to learn more about these unique birds of prey. “Eagle Days is a great opportunity to get outdoors in the winter, include the entire family on the outing and learn something about these majestic birds,” said Darcy Mount, a ranger at Lake Pueblo State Park and one of the event’s organizers. Numerous bald eagles spend the winter at Lake Pueblo State Park and the Pueblo Reservoir State Wildlife Area. They roost in the large trees and dine on fish from the large expanse of open water. John Koshak, a watchable wildlife specialist at Colorado Parks and Wildlife noted that both indoor and outdoor activities were available for the 17th Annual Eagle Days with several new exhibits

and events added. Exhibits and indoor programs took place at all three locations, plus outdoor activities were scheduled throughout the weekend around the lake including bird watching tours and nature hikes. The area around Pueblo Reservoir offers excel-lent opportunities to view a variety of birds of prey year-round, but during the winter months, the bald eagles are the star attraction. The eagles tend to gather at the west end of the lake, but park employees and visitors report sighting individual eagles around the south marina, the Boggs Creek area and the river corridor below the dam. Programs at the Park Visitor Center and entry to the Visitor Center from Hwy. 96 were free, but vehicles were required to have a Park’s Pass if they entered or drive through other portions of the park. The festival began with the announcement of the winners from this year’s photo contest and a slideshow by Colorado photographer and premiere taxidermist Todd Huffman. Thank you to Todd for sharing his photographs with our readers.

Photos courtesy Todd Huffman-Birdman Studios 36740 Freedom Rd. Trinidad, Colorado 719-846-4567 www.birdmanstudios.com/photography.html.

Visit Todd’s taxidermy website at www.birdmanstudios.com or visit him on Facebook.

SoCO FRESH AIR

By Marty Hackett

Pueblo and Aspen Receive Governor’s Arts Award

Information courtesy of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade

Govenor John Hickenlooper announced January 23, 2013 that the cities of Aspen and Pueblo are the recipients for the 2013 Governor’s Arts Award. The cities will be honored at the closing luncheon of the 2nd Annual Creative Industries Summit on April 12, 2013 in Pueblo.

“Congratulations to Aspen and Pueblo for their exceptional work in growing Colorado as a premier creative hub,” said Hickenlooper. “These cities’ commitment to investing in arts, creative industries and educating on the importance of the arts expands both cultures and our economies. We also want to thank the businesses and the entire communities of Aspen and Pueblo for supporting local artists and arts organizations.”

The annual Governor’s Arts Award recognizes a Colorado town or city for their collective efforts

to enhance their community and their economy through strategic use of the arts. Aspen Mayor Mick Ireland and Pueblo City Council President Steve Nawrocki will be presented with the awards, which are original three-dimensional works by artist Michael Clapper of Denver. The artworks will hang in public locations in the respective cities, and a third work by Clapper will become part of the State’s public art collection.

“We are proud to be recognized with the 2013 Governor’s Art Award,” said Pueblo City Manager Sam Azad. “The Pueblo community is mindful of the colors that make our city thrive. Our residents have histories from cultures around the world that have directed and enriched our lives. Our city and the Pueblo Creative Corridor pay homage to the many and varied influences in our lives. In Pueblo, art is the cord that ties us to our past and links us to our future.”

Colorado Creative Industries, a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, annually convenes a panel to review nominations. In selecting Aspen and Pueblo as the recipients, the review panel com-mended Aspen for their unparalleled long-term

commitment to the arts and Pueblo for leveraging the arts to revitalize their community. The other nominated cities were Lone Tree, Broomfield and Colorado Springs.

Colorado Creative Industries combines state funds with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts to promote, support and expand the creative industries to drive Colorado’s economy, grow jobs and enhance our quality of life.

For more information and to register for the Cre-ative Industries Summit, visit www.coloradocreativeindustries.org.

HALL OF FAME

The End of the WorldBy Kathleen Donnelly

Whew! Oh my goodness! We made it through 2012. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am so relieved that we actually survived not just one, but two potentially catastrophic di-sasters; one that could have caused the demise of the physical world, and the other, the end of the world’s financial systems. Or, so they said. Oh my!

The Mayan Calendar predictions didn’t actu-ally tell us what cataclysmic event would end the world. Could the earth’s core overheat and become unstable causing a reverse in our poles and simultaneous eruption of worldwide volcanic activity followed by ripping apart of the earth we were standing on, breaking apart and slamming and grinding tectonic plates, causing tsunamis, and great floods? Oh dear!

I guess it should have been reassuring that NASA issued a press release stating that the earth was safe, but I wasn’t comforted. While NASA’s best mathematicians, scientists and en-gineers, using their calculations, satellites and telescopes could detect no meteors, comets, rogue planets, or invading space alien armies, come on…you know…if God wanted to end the world, He could just snap His fingers and send the earth spinning in a speed faster than light, along with the entire solar system, roll-ing into the nearest black hole.

As soon as we survived the end of the world, we were threatened with the terror of “the fiscal cliff.” The new danger du jour was being drummed into our heads 24/7. I awakened in a cold sweat from one of those recurrent night-

mares where you are falling, falling, falling… After holding on to the edge of the cliff by my fingernails, the unstable rocks could not hold my weight, I couldn’t pull myself back up. I had lost my grip.

Once my eyes were open and I turned off the blaring TV with newscasters trying to make trouble between the politicians and the par-tisan talking heads, who were bickering and arguing about whose fault it would be if we went “over the fiscal cliff,” I lay awake tossing and turning, wondering about how the rest of us could live on our diminished paychecks, or whether we would even have a job if the economy took a turn for the worse, and what would become of our old folks and children in the future.

Obviously the night we went over the fiscal cliff came and went, and, as in a scene from an Indiana Jones film, a frail, frayed rope pulled us unbelievably back over the top, and, with-out more than a few frames to recover, it was on to the next governmental crisis, weaving and bobbing and racing to survive.

All joking aside, we aren’t going to be rescued by Indiana Jones or some other make-believe hero with some implausible stunt. Wasn’t this entire fiscal cliff fiasco an exercise in blame, irresponsible behavior, and procrastination, and a shame on so many levels? Don’t our elected officials have a job to do? And didn’t they convince us that they wanted these jobs when they ran for election, and that they were ready, willing and able to make the hard choices and put in the work that is required of them? Why don’t they get it done? This was not their proudest moment. They have put off for tomorrow more of these difficult debates and I hope that public opinion leaders and the 113th Congress will demonstrate better values and live up to the honor that their election has bestowed upon them in 2013.

An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll in mid-December showed that 68% of Americans wanted lawmakers to compromise to avoid going over the fiscal cliff, and two-thirds were willing to accept an increase in taxes or cuts in federal programs that they care about to reach an agreement to avoid the problem.

As more debate looms pending the March 1 sequestration deadline, We, the people, deserve to see courage and leadership and compromise in spending cuts, and spending choices and in making a budget that works to support this. It’s not going to be perfect and everyone is going to have to give a little. The American people deserve more and are asking for more from our elected representatives. We don’t deserve more of this shameful behavior for the whole world to see.

Our forefathers created a pretty great gov-ernment in 1776, and generations since have sacrificed to follow and build upon its prin-ciples. Let’s not dishonor them. It is time for statesmen to preserve our American fairness, unity, our democracy, and be an example for our children, grandchildren and the world. In God we trust.

HALL OF SHAME

“I think it’s important to note that we really

did try hard.”

16

Aqua Vida!By Marty Hackett

Water is vital to all aspects of our state’s economy. It fuels our cities and towns, commercial business-es, rural communities dependent on agriculture or recreation and other environmental amenities. Water is life!

Agriculture is the major consumptive user of water in our region. It represents about 86 percent of the surface diversions in the Eastern Slope. Colorado’s ag and food industry supports about 4% of Colo-rado’s jobs and many of our regional counties are “ag dependent.” One in every 10 jobs in the state ties to the ag and food industry and in our region, it is 1 in 3.

Action 22 –a coalition of community, city, county, organizational, and business leaders in a 22-county region, who are Southern Colorado’s voice in state and national discussions, will be hosting the Southern Colorado Water & Energy Conference on Wednesday, March 13 at the Pueblo Conven-tion Center with presentations by Colorado State University, Colorado Oil and Gas Association and others to address water issues. Across the southern Colorado area, a shortage of water is leaving ranch-ers, farmers and others who are water dependent in dire straits. Fields of corn and other crops are dying and ranchers are having to sell their cattle off early because of a lack of feed and water. Some ag producers are also facing issues when the next property owner down the line has senior water rights, essentially cutting them off from water us-age. The percentage of agriculture may be reduced if water providers are not successful in developing new storage and other water diversion projects.

In addition, recreation and tourism are vital to our region’s economy, injecting a significant por-tion of revenue into the state’s economy as well as contributing to the state’s workforce. In certain regions, most notably headwater communities, environmental and recreational amenities drive the local economy. Water‐related activities comprise a

significant component of our tourist activities in-cluding flatwater and river‐based activities, fishing, boating and rafting.

Impacts to fish populations are being noted, increased wildfires and beetle infestation are also evident as secondary drought impacts. A reduction in wildlife viewing and hunting are impacted due to animals moving away from traditional viewing/ hunting areas due to lack of water, loss of vegeta-tive cover and/or heat. Fishing areas are being im-pacted by lower reservoir and lake levels, decreased stream flow, and fish decline. Other recreational areas are also impacted such as the forced closure of campsites and surrounding forest due to risk of wildfires and/or hazard trees.

Golf courses are impacted when municipalities impose watering restrictions or if water rights become out of priority due to low stream flows. Lower reservoir and lake levels can render boat ramps unusable and the lower water levels can deter potential boaters, all resulting in decreased visitation and usage of our recreation areas.

Water shortages impact everyone from the field to the faucet! Impaired drinking water quality, increased incidence of mosquito-borne illness and respiratory complications resulting from impaired air quality take the issue right into your home!

Our region suffers from severe to extreme to exceptional drought levels and everyone in the area is waiting with bated breath to see what the spring and summer months have in store. The Purgatoire River Sub-Basin, as a tributary of the Arkansas River, includes the uplands to the west and high plains to the east in our region. The Sub-Basin contains 428,000 irrigated acres, with about one million acre feet of crop water demand annually. Current irrigation shortages exceed 450,000 AF per year. Given the projected decrease in future ir-rigated acres, shortages are anticipated to be more than 370,000 AF per year by 2050.

The proven beneficial uses of coal bed methane water such as stock ponds/irrigation, wetlands and water supplies will be one of the feature presenta-tions at the Water and Energy Conference. Cur-

rently in the Raton Basin, many farmers, ranchers and others have reaped the benefits of CBM water and will be sharing their stories at the Water and Energy Conference.

CBM water used for land application with crop production is determined by the quality of the produced water. Spacing stored water throughout grazing lands or letting it overflow to a drainage system allows landowners to distribute water to their livestock in selected locations on ranch lands, which can prevent or reduce livestock impacts to naturally occurring surface waters.

Similar to livestock watering, CBM produced water can be stored in ponds to provide additional water sources to support drinking water needs and habitat requirements for local wildlife. In general, wildlife watering ponds improve the diversity of habitats available, increase wildlife populations and ranges in the region, and enhance community dynamics in the local ecosystem. In some cases, wildlife watering ponds may also improve the quality of water available to wildlife and provide habitats for transient populations such as migrat-ing birds during the winter season.

Another possible beneficial application of CBM produced water is industrial operations, such as energy extraction industries, cooling towers, or fire protection. As with all disposal methods, using produced water in industrial applications depends on the quality of the produced water and the water quality required for the application. Some CBM operations also utilize produced water for dust suppression during drilling or mining activities and for equipment washing.

Don’t miss out on the Wednesday, March 13, 2013 Southern Colorado Water & Energy Conference! Scheduled at the Pueblo Convention Center, 320 Central Main, Pueblo, the event will give attendees the latest information on what is happening the SWSI, Colorado’s Water Plan, hydraulic fracturing and energy issues.

Watch future issues of AroundSoCo and Around-Trinidad for additional stories on CBM Water.

___________________ GovernmentSoCO

18

Famed Coach John Gagliardi RetiresBy Doc Leonetti

John Gagliardi, the consummate football coach, leader, teacher, friend and family man, is revered by one and all. After 64 years as a head college coach, 60 at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, the venerated mentor has decided to retire. He leaves behind an unabated history with astounding accomplishments. His record is unparalleled. From 1949 through the 2012 season, he compiled 489 wins, 138 losses and 11 ties. With those victories came four national championships at St. John’s and 27 MIAC League banners. Subse-quently, he received well deserved recognition as the winningest college football coach in history.

His chronicles are storied. Born to Ventura and Antoinette Gagliardi in Trinidad on November 1, 1926, Gagliardi worked evenings with his dad and brother in their auto body shop, a job he at one time assumed to be his destiny. But old man destiny had other ideas. When coach Dutch Clark was called to military duty in 1943, young John, at 16 years old, stepped in and after convincing the priests and school officials that Tiger football should remain a mainstay at Holy Trinity, he took over the head coaching duties and played on the team. Since he was the Head Coach, he had full authority. One of his first dictates was to eradi-cate all the detestable activities, at least to him, involved in practicing football. The result was the implementation of his newly formed philosophy of “no’s;” no tackling, blocking sleds, manda-tory weight training, whistles or calisthenics, and unquestionably limiting practices to a maximum of 90 minutes. Water, of course, was available for the players whenever needed.

The unconventional approach proved feasible. Af-ter coaching several successful years of high school football at St. Mary’s in Colorado Springs while earning his degree at Colorado College, he took the head coaching job at Carroll College in Montana for four seasons, compiling a 26-6-1 record. The rest, as it must be said again, is remarkable.

Every summer for the past several years, Sopris boyhood friends Gary Archuleta, Joe Terry, and Doc Leonetti sojourn to St. Paul Minnesota in early June to visit good buddy Phil “Camel” Shablo with two objectives in mind; to spend a week play-ing golf and reminisce about life in the old coal camp, and to reserve an afternoon for a 90 mile drive to Collegeville to visit John Gagliardi.

“The majority of people in America measure success by the amount of money and luxury they have,” mused Terry. “John Gagliardi falls in the minority. His success is measured by the love in his heart. If you have ever visited with John, you could sense the love he has for his wife and family and how he treats his friends. His love for football is prevalent, not only in his astonishing record, but also in the respect he gets from his players past and present. He truly is a Trinidad iconoclast.”

The unconventional coach has accumulated numerous honors and records over his remarkable career, with a winning percentage of .775. In 2003 he surpassed Eddie Robinson’s (Grambling Col-lege) record of 409 wins to surge ahead as the win-ningest coach ever. He won his first NAIA national title in 1963 with a perfect 14-0 record. Inducted in 2006, he is just one of two active coaches in the College Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of the American Football Coaches Association Amos Alonzo Stagg Award. In 2007 he was named Lib-erty Mutual Division III Coach of the Year. Earlier, in 2003, Jostens and the SJU J-Club initiated the Gagliardi trophy to the nation’s outstanding Divi-sion III player, an award based on excellence in athletics, academics and community service. In 60 years of coaching at St. John’s, he accrued an amaz-ing 462-131-10 record.

“First and foremost, my congratulations to John on his great career and now his retirement,” said Archuleta. “I do say that the first time I met him, I never met a man with such verve. He has just a wonderful way of interacting with everybody he encounters. John has the knack for making you feel important. I am sure that that is why he has been so successful. It’s just too bad that not enough of us have that ability.”

In the annals of college football, there will never be another that will match the record and feats of Coach John Gagliardi. But then, it seems, there always comes a time. November 19, 2012 was the official date of his announced retirement.

“Nobody ever said that getting older was easy,” Gagliardi said. “I just can’t do the job at the level I used to anymore.”

President Obama sent him a letter which stated: “Even as his time on the gridiron comes to a close, Gagliardi’s genuine concern for players as scholar athletes and human beings will ensure that his influence will be felt for years to come.”

Now he will spend more time with his beloved wife Peggy at their home on Big Watab Lake, a placid place of peace and serenity just five miles distant from the St. John’s campus. “It’s been a great ride,” said Gagliardi to the gathered media at his announced retirement. “I’ve got a lot to be thankful for.”

“The guys and I have been going out there (Col-legeville) for 18 years,” explained Shablo in a phone interview. “I was their chauffeur. Over all those years I have become a great admirer and a very good friend of John. His wife Peg and his family were so good to us. I really appreciate their great hospitality. They couldn’t do enough for us dur-ing those visits. John has had a great career that nobody will ever match. I’ve always been proud of his accomplishments. The whole world knows about this guy. I’ve never met a better man in my life. I’ve always admired the fact that he was such a great family man.”

In response to an e-mail from this writer congratu-lating him on his retirement, Gagliardi replied; “Thanks Doc. I thought I could coach forever, but forever is longer than I thought.”

Photo by Robert Doc Leonetti- from left to right: Joe Terry, John Gagliardi, Doc Leonetti, Gary Archuleta, Phil “Cam” Shablo. Photo taken on summer trip to Minnesota with a drive to St. John’s University to visit Gagliardi in Collegeville.

SoCO Sports

E.R.A.The Movement that Shaped MeBy E.R.A. McCarthey

How important is the name you give your child? There have been countless studies, many claiming a name only matters if it is specific to a particular group or culture while other studies say a child’s name plays an important role in their societal place and personality. Regardless of studies and norms some names carry so much weight with them they guide a child’s life forever. I was given one of those names. My name is Equal Rights Amendment (E.R.A.) McCarthey and I want to share a little of how that name has shaped me.

My mother, Judy Tallwing McCarthey, was an avid Equal Rights activist. She believed that all people are the same, regardless of ethnicity or gender, and should be treated as such. My mother was both a woman and a Native American. Equality was still a hard reached goal. She was attending Arizona State University pursuing a degree in criminal justice and working with numerous others lobbying for the National Plan of Action and Equal Rights Amendment when she became pregnant with me in 1977. My mother didn’t let that stop her, in fact she decided that I deserved to have every oppor-tunity and the name E.R.A. would remind both myself and the world of her dreams for me.

My mother and I received a great deal of attention at the First National Women’s Conference held in Houston in 1978. My mother was quoted in the book The Spirit of Houston: The First National Women’s Conference as saying “There are two reasons I named my baby girl Era. One is for our amendment since the ERA is the most important issue in our fight for true equality for all, and the second is because of the concept which arose out of the Houston Conference, the concept that it heralded the beginning of a new era for women. I am very aware of what it means to be an ethnic mi-nority, a divorced mother, a mature college student, and on a limited income. But I know, as we all do, that there can be a fuller life for all of us and our families. That is why I support the National Plan of Action and the Equal Rights Amendment.”

My first few months I enjoyed the company of leaders and visionaries such as President Carter and his lovely wife Rosalynn, Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug and thousands of others. I have a baby picture signed by many of them. My mother and I were featured in Redbook, The Washington Post and other notable periodicals. My baby shoes went to the Smithsonian. Then the unthinkable happened. The National Plan of Action and the Equal Rights Amendment did not receive enough ratifications before the final deadline. My fifteen minutes of fame were over.

I was a baby at the time so I’m not sure exactly what followed. I know my parents divorced and my five siblings and I were raised by our father. I

only have a few clear memories of my mother until I was about thirteen years old. I saw her, but it wasn’t often. My father always told me how smart, talented and strong she was. That I would be just like her someday. He would say “You’re going to be a famous artist like your mother or maybe a politi-cian, since you’re so good at talking.”

I was raised in downtown Phoenix, Arizona next to a freeway, a hospital and a few blocks from project housing. It was considered a very impover-ished and high crime area. My father was disabled so I often had to care for myself. When I was very young, I’m not sure but I had to be around 2 or 3, someone shot at me while I was playing in the front yard. My sister pushed me aside and saved my life. A bullet went through her leg at the same height as my head. No one is sure if it was over my name or one of the neighborhood gangs causing trouble. I wasn’t allowed to play outside after that.

I remember in the first grade I was in trouble because I refused to write my name correctly “Era” and kept insisting it was “E.R.A.” and the teacher was wrong. My mother went to the school and showed the teacher my birth certificate. A few years later I was sent to the principal’s office because a group of boys were hitting me. When he asked me why they were so angry I told him it was because I shared the story of my name and they said I was a liar. The principal told me I should be ashamed for lying to him and the boys. My mother flew into Phoenix, Arizona from Portland, Oregon and took press releases to the school. Needless to say the school didn’t continue my punishment.

I only relate these events to you so you understand how my name and the knowledge of everyone who once believed in me helped shape me. No matter how difficult things were or what life handed me I knew in my heart that someday I would do some-thing special. That I had value. It didn’t matter how I started life. I read books, created art, wrote stories and songs, studied hard at school because I knew I had to be the very best person I could and take advantage of all the opportunities the women who came before me created.

I began college at sixteen and worked part time in a law office to pay for school. I went into the hon-or’s program, received scholarships and graduated from Arizona State University Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Education, a minor in Art History and several teaching certifications. I continued my education and added to my certifications. I taught for twelve years in Central Phoenix. I did my best to help students feel valued and special that were starting life in the same stark environment I did. Not one moment in my life did I ever believe I was worth less than a man or that I had a specific gender role. I knew some people thought that way but I assumed they just didn’t know any better. I still assume that.

I am currently a co-owner of a foreign language school in Fort Collins, Colorado that specializes in teaching culture, art and societal awareness as part of the curriculum. Along with my life partner, Jay Martinez, I own Everything AroundUS and Merged Media Marketing. Jay is amazing and

values me as much as himself. I am known to say “Jay is the pretty one and I keep everything run-ning smoothly.” We have lovely children and enjoy life in Trinidad, Colorado. The small town loyalty and kindness here have won my heart. I thank my mother, Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, President Carter, Rosalynn Carter, Diana Mara Henry and everyone who fought so I would have the chance to build a better life for myself.

Many of us are currently enjoying freedoms we did not have one hundred years ago, even fifty years ago. Don’t take it for granted and let’s work to make it better. The Equal Rights Amendment went for ratification again last year and we still did not get enough states in favor of the amendment. If you are interested in the Equal Rights Amend-ment you can visit www.equalrightsamendment.org.

If you’d like to read about the people and events of the movement you can go to the website www.womenonthemoveonline.com. I also found the quotes from The Spirit of Houston: The First National Women’s Conference on this website.

The photographer Diana Mara Henry allowed me to use her image from the First National Women’s Conference for the cover image inset of Gloria Steinem and myself. She is working on an exhibit to showcase the conference and the ERA move-ment. You can see her work at www.dianamara-henry.com.

If you would like to learn more about my mother you can go to her website at www.tallwing.com.

SoCO Style and BeautyOne Color is Not EnoughIn 2013 an exciting fashion trend is Ombre and Re-verse Ombre hair coloring. Many in the limelight are choosing to liven up their look with this color style. Ombre hair coloring is when you dye the bottom half of your hair a lighter color and leave the top dark. Reverse Ombre is when the top of the hair is a lighter color with a darker bottom. Playful people are using a natural color for the top half of the hair and something a little more wild such as pink, purple, blue or green on the bottom half. This strategy is particularly smart since the milder tones around the face bring out your features while the vibrant color adds some spark to your style.

Hot Tips1. Ombre looks great on guys! You need to

have 2” or longer hair. Just use a coloring brush on the hair tips for a natural high-light effect. Choose a color a few shades lighter than your own and be subtle or add a bright color and get noticed.

2. You can put your hair in a loose ponytail, tease the hair and then softly brush color on the hair below the ponytail holder. After the color sets just cut the ponytail holder off and rinse. Ombre color in its easiest form.

3. Be adventurous. It doesn’t matter what colors you choose but make sure you pick what you like and have fun!

22

Walsenburg

TrinidadCokedaleWeston

AguilarCuchara

La Veta

Gardner

Colorado City

PuebloPuebloWest

Penrose

Florence

CanonCity

Texas Creek

Wetmore

BeulahWestcliffe

SilverCliff

VisitorCenterTrinidad

LakeState Park

Ludlow MassacreNational

Historic Site

Francisco Fort

SpanishPeaks

WildernessArea

LathropState Park

SanIsabel

NationalForest

SanIsabel

NationalForest

LakePueblo

State Park

Royal Gorge

Sangrede Cristo

WildernessArea

Bent’s OldFort

La Junta

Picket WireCanyonlands

ComancheNational

Grasslands

John MartinReservoir

Arkansas River

Arkansas River

LakeSan

Isabel

St. Charles River

ColoradoSprings

Fountain Creek

Arkansas River

Huer

fano

Rive

r

Cuc

hara

Rive

r

Huerfano River

Purgatoire River

BradfordReservoir

Cuchara Reservoir

Martin Lake

Cuchara

River

GreenhornMountain

ComancheNational

Grasslands

Purgatoire River

North LakeMonument

Lake

Bear Lake

Blue Lakes

EastSpanish

Peak

WestSpanish

Peak

SanIsabel

NationalForest

LakePueblo

Wet Mountain Range

Mt.Lindsey

LittleBearPeak

Great Sand DunesNational Parkand Preserve

HumboltPeak

Sand CreekLakes

SouthColony Lakes

HornLakes

ComancheLake

VenebleLakes

HermitLake

Lakes ofthe Clouds

RainbowLake

BalmanReservoir

Rain

bo

w Trail

De WeeseReservoir

RioGrandeNational

Forest

Sangre de Cristo Range

High Park

Road

Shel

f Roa

d

Phan

tom

Can

on R

oad

Salida

Pikes Peak

Raton

Highway of Legends

NEW MEXICO

Cotopaxi

Santa Fe Trail

TLAC Economic DevelopmentTLAC Chamber of Commerce

Sunset Inn 2808 Thatcher Ave, Pueblo, CO 81005719-564-9841

Big Daddy’s Sunset Bowl1227 S. Prairie Ave, Pueblo, CO 81005719-561-8570

Angelo's Pizza Parlor And-a-More'105 East Riverwalk, Pueblo, CO 81003(719) 845-9999 www.trinidadcornershop.com

Sisters' Courtyard517 W. 5th Street Ste. 101, Pueblo, CO 81003719.543.1947www.sisterscourtyard.com

Holiday Inn Express & Suites4530 Dillon Drive, Pueblo, CO 81008(719) 542-8888

Sound and Cinema1237 W. Elegante Ct, Pueblo, CO 81007(719) 240-2606www.soundandcinemacorp.com

Mobile Record Shredders205 N. Elizabeth Suite 120, Pueblo, CO 81008(719) 544-5460www.mobilerecordshredders.com

Myxed Up Creations217 W. Northern Avenue, Pueblo, CO 81004(719) 404-3030www.myxedup.com

Damon Runyon Theatre611 N. Main St, Pueblo, CO 81003(719) 564-0579www.runyontheater.org

PS I Love You Flowers & Gifts2918 N. Elizabeth St, Pueblo, CO 81008(719) 542-5408www.www.psiloveyouflowersgifts.com

Pueblo Featured Businesses

Commercial St. Salon & Day Spa257 N. Commercial Street, Trinidad, CO 81082(719) 846-6610www.commercialstreetsalon.com

Corner Shop & Cafe101 E Main St, Trinidad, CO 81082(719) 845-9999 www.trinidadcornershop.com

Griego Insurance Agency (GIA)300 N. Commercial st. Trinidad, CO 81082 (719) 846-9871www.griegoinsurance.com/

Wendy’sI-25 Exit 11, Trinidad, CO 81081(719) 845-9143www.mergedmediamarketing.com

New Image Advanced Dental 417 University St. Suite 1, Trinidad, CO 81082(877) 721-2001www.trinidadsmiles.com

Phil Long Toyota3019 Toupal Drive, Trinidad, CO 81082(877) 600-5942www.phillongtoyota.com

Redwing Electric Inc.225 E. Goddard Avenue, Trinidad, CO 81082(719) 846-1716www.redwingelectricinc.com

Rino's Italian Restaurant400 E Main St, Trinidad, CO 81082 (719) 845-0949 www.rinostrinidad.com

Royse Ranch Bed & Breakfast10,000 County Road 43.6, Trinidad, CO 81082(719) 845-0353 , (806) 662-0113 www.royseranch.com

TLAC Economic Development134 W. Main St, Trinidad, CO 81082 (719) 846-9412www.tlaceconomicdevelopment.com

Trinidad Featured Businesses

Pack Rat Gifts134 S. 1st St, Raton, NM 87740(575) 445-3242www.commercialstreetsalon.com

Record’s Ace Hardware1124 S. 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740(575) 445-8211www.trinidadcornershop.com

Shuler Theater131 N. 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740 (575) 445-4746www.shulertheater.com

El Raton Productions, Co.115 N. 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740(575) 445-7008www.elratontheatre.com

Oasis Restaurant1445 S. 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740(505) 445-2221

Healing Hands211 Park Ave, Raton, NM 87740(505) 400-6200

Kiowa Land & Sales, LLC116 S. 2nd St, Raton, NM 8740(575) 447-7758www.kiowaland.com

Sweet Shop1201 S 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740(575) 445-9811

K-Bob's Steakhouse1228 S 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740 (575) 445-2548 www.kbobsusa.com

White House Bar133 Cook Ave, Raton, NM 87740(575) 445-9992

Raton,

NM Featured Businesses

P

T

R

Shopping pg 6

Restaurants pg 7

Entertainment pg 9

Lodging pg 13

WHERE TO GOwww.AroundSoCO.com

50

96

P

T

R

To Denver

To Gunnison

H

H

H

H

H

50

50

50

350

10

10

85115

67

50

5050

9

67

96

165

78

69

69

6996

85

87

85

8712

12

160

160

350

160

109

160

To Lamar

HISTORIC & SCENIC BYWAYSGold BeltFrontier PathwaysHighway of LegendsSanta Fe Trail

State LineCity or TownInterstate HighwayState/County RoadGravel/4WD RoadCampingLakes & RiversHospitalAirport/AirstripRestaurantsShoppingLodgingEntertainment

LEGEND

H

GAS

Gold Belt

Frontier Pathways

SCAN FOR MAPSCAN FOR MAP

Phil Long Toyota

Map Sponsored By:

Walsenburg

TrinidadCokedaleWeston

AguilarCuchara

La Veta

Gardner

Colorado City

PuebloPuebloWest

Penrose

Florence

CanonCity

Texas Creek

Wetmore

BeulahWestcliffe

SilverCliff

VisitorCenterTrinidad

LakeState Park

Ludlow MassacreNational

Historic Site

Francisco Fort

SpanishPeaks

WildernessArea

LathropState Park

SanIsabel

NationalForest

SanIsabel

NationalForest

LakePueblo

State Park

Royal Gorge

Sangrede Cristo

WildernessArea

Bent’s OldFort

La Junta

Picket WireCanyonlands

ComancheNational

Grasslands

John MartinReservoir

Arkansas River

Arkansas River

LakeSan

Isabel

St. Charles River

ColoradoSprings

Fountain Creek

Arkansas River

Huer

fano

Rive

r

Cuc

hara

Rive

r

Huerfano River

Purgatoire River

BradfordReservoir

Cuchara Reservoir

Martin Lake

Cuchara

River

GreenhornMountain

ComancheNational

Grasslands

Purgatoire River

North LakeMonument

Lake

Bear Lake

Blue Lakes

EastSpanish

Peak

WestSpanish

Peak

SanIsabel

NationalForest

LakePueblo

Wet Mountain Range

Mt.Lindsey

LittleBearPeak

Great Sand DunesNational Parkand Preserve

HumboltPeak

Sand CreekLakes

SouthColony Lakes

HornLakes

ComancheLake

VenebleLakes

HermitLake

Lakes ofthe Clouds

RainbowLake

BalmanReservoir

Rain

bo

w Trail

De WeeseReservoir

RioGrandeNational

Forest

Sangre de Cristo Range

High Park

Road

Shel

f Roa

d

Phan

tom

Can

on R

oad

Salida

Pikes Peak

Raton

Highway of Legends

NEW MEXICO

Cotopaxi

Santa Fe Trail

TLAC Economic DevelopmentTLAC Chamber of Commerce

Sunset Inn 2808 Thatcher Ave, Pueblo, CO 81005719-564-9841

Big Daddy’s Sunset Bowl1227 S. Prairie Ave, Pueblo, CO 81005719-561-8570

Angelo's Pizza Parlor And-a-More'105 East Riverwalk, Pueblo, CO 81003(719) 845-9999 www.trinidadcornershop.com

Sisters' Courtyard517 W. 5th Street Ste. 101, Pueblo, CO 81003719.543.1947www.sisterscourtyard.com

Holiday Inn Express & Suites4530 Dillon Drive, Pueblo, CO 81008(719) 542-8888

Sound and Cinema1237 W. Elegante Ct, Pueblo, CO 81007(719) 240-2606www.soundandcinemacorp.com

Mobile Record Shredders205 N. Elizabeth Suite 120, Pueblo, CO 81008(719) 544-5460www.mobilerecordshredders.com

Myxed Up Creations217 W. Northern Avenue, Pueblo, CO 81004(719) 404-3030www.myxedup.com

Damon Runyon Theatre611 N. Main St, Pueblo, CO 81003(719) 564-0579www.runyontheater.org

PS I Love You Flowers & Gifts2918 N. Elizabeth St, Pueblo, CO 81008(719) 542-5408www.www.psiloveyouflowersgifts.com

Pueblo Featured Businesses

Commercial St. Salon & Day Spa257 N. Commercial Street, Trinidad, CO 81082(719) 846-6610www.commercialstreetsalon.com

Corner Shop & Cafe101 E Main St, Trinidad, CO 81082(719) 845-9999 www.trinidadcornershop.com

Griego Insurance Agency (GIA)300 N. Commercial st. Trinidad, CO 81082 (719) 846-9871www.griegoinsurance.com/

Wendy’sI-25 Exit 11, Trinidad, CO 81081(719) 845-9143www.mergedmediamarketing.com

New Image Advanced Dental 417 University St. Suite 1, Trinidad, CO 81082(877) 721-2001www.trinidadsmiles.com

Phil Long Toyota3019 Toupal Drive, Trinidad, CO 81082(877) 600-5942www.phillongtoyota.com

Redwing Electric Inc.225 E. Goddard Avenue, Trinidad, CO 81082(719) 846-1716www.redwingelectricinc.com

Rino's Italian Restaurant400 E Main St, Trinidad, CO 81082 (719) 845-0949 www.rinostrinidad.com

Royse Ranch Bed & Breakfast10,000 County Road 43.6, Trinidad, CO 81082(719) 845-0353 , (806) 662-0113 www.royseranch.com

TLAC Economic Development134 W. Main St, Trinidad, CO 81082 (719) 846-9412www.tlaceconomicdevelopment.com

Trinidad Featured Businesses

Pack Rat Gifts134 S. 1st St, Raton, NM 87740(575) 445-3242www.commercialstreetsalon.com

Record’s Ace Hardware1124 S. 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740(575) 445-8211www.trinidadcornershop.com

Shuler Theater131 N. 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740 (575) 445-4746www.shulertheater.com

El Raton Productions, Co.115 N. 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740(575) 445-7008www.elratontheatre.com

Oasis Restaurant1445 S. 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740(505) 445-2221

Healing Hands211 Park Ave, Raton, NM 87740(505) 400-6200

Kiowa Land & Sales, LLC116 S. 2nd St, Raton, NM 8740(575) 447-7758www.kiowaland.com

Sweet Shop1201 S 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740(575) 445-9811

K-Bob's Steakhouse1228 S 2nd St, Raton, NM 87740 (575) 445-2548 www.kbobsusa.com

White House Bar133 Cook Ave, Raton, NM 87740(575) 445-9992

Raton,

NM Featured Businesses

P

T

R

Shopping pg 6

Restaurants pg 7

Entertainment pg 9

Lodging pg 13

WHERE TO GOwww.AroundSoCO.com

50

96

P

T

R

To Denver

To Gunnison

H

H

H

H

H

50

50

50

350

10

10

85115

67

50

5050

9

67

96

165

78

69

69

6996

85

87

85

8712

12

160

160

350

160

109

160

To Lamar

HISTORIC & SCENIC BYWAYSGold BeltFrontier PathwaysHighway of LegendsSanta Fe Trail

State LineCity or TownInterstate HighwayState/County RoadGravel/4WD RoadCampingLakes & RiversHospitalAirport/AirstripRestaurantsShoppingLodgingEntertainment

LEGEND

H

GAS

Gold Belt

Frontier Pathways

SCAN FOR MAPSCAN FOR MAP

Phil Long Toyota

Map Sponsored By:

24

Paw NewsWhat does your pet say about you? They can’t talk, but our pets say a lot about their owners’ personalities, a new study has found.For years scientists have been studying the person-alities of dog and cat owners and have found some surprising trends.

People who owned sporting dogs, like Labrador retrievers and cocker spaniels, appeared more agreeable and conscientious while those who owned herding dogs, like German shepherds or sheepdogs, were more extroverted.

People who owned hound dogs, like greyhounds and beagles, were more emotionally stable, calm and consistent. President Lyndon B. Johnson had a beagle.

Beagles, known for their happy-go-lucky, family-friendly demeanor, are the third most popular breed in America.

People who owned toy dogs, like Chihuahuas or Yorkshire terriers, were more agreeable, more conscientious and more open to new experiences. There is a common view which studies dispel that people who own toy dogs are “air heads.” Celebrity Paris Hilton has a Chihuahua named Tinkerbell. The breed is known for its confidence and sense of self importance, according to the AKC.

People who owned utility dogs, like English bulldogs Shar-Peis and Chow Chows, were more conscientious and extroverted. The English Bull-dog, which muscled its way into the AKC’s top 10 breeds in 2008, is known for its kindness, courage and “dignified” demeanor and tend to be gentle but protective.

No personality traits stood out in the survey among people who owned terriers, like the Staf-fordshire bull or the Scottie dog. They weren’t high or low on anything in particular. The Staffordshire bull mixes courage and tenacity with affection for friends, children in particular. Scottie dogs, on the other hand, “exude ruggedness and power,” accord-ing to the AKC.

Like terrier owners, people who owned working dogs, such as Dobermans or schnauzers, had no standout personality traits. They tend to be agree-able, but studies find most dog owners are. But, are dog owners more agreeable than cat owners?

Some studies suggest cat owners are more intelli-gent and dog owners are more social. But obvi-ously it’s debated.

Dog people tend to be:

• 15% more extroverted than cat people• Trusting• Kind• Affectionate

Cat people tend to be:

• Introverted• Curious• Creative• Artistic• Anxious• More inclined to feel “neurotic”

What does your pet say about you?

“Five day waiting period!

Man, I need a piece NOW!”

26

Gun ControlBy Jesse Manzanares

I own several guns. I have taken my wife and our three boys target shooting. In my lifetime, I have hunted and killed rabbits, coyotes, raccoons, deer, turkey, gophers, frogs, rattlesnakes and even an alligator. Once, I tried to kill a bear.

I live in a rural community that prides itself on its beautiful blue sky, pristine drinking water, abun-dant wildlife, gorgeous scenery, and being a safe distance from the ravages of big city crime. We also brag about having a world class gunsmith school at our local college. Guns are plentiful in our com-munity. They are a way of life among our farmers, ranchers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts.

The gun debate goes on. Is it about gun control, gun safety, or reducing gun violence? I call it the gun safety debate. I wonder what government can do to reduce the number of gun killings? I also wonder if we should even be interested in reducing the number of people killed by guns each year? Who really cares? Cars kill as many people each year. Would more people be killed by cars if we did not register and regulate cars?

The question now is not whether government can regulate guns, or cars for that matter. That question has been answered by the United States Supreme Court. Gun rights are protected by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution but they are not absolute, nor have they always been protected. Regardless of what the NRA or gun enthusiasts say, guns can be regulated. Reasonable common sense regulations are not unconstitution-al. Now, we need to decide whether there should be any regulation at all and if so, what is reasonable.

None of the state or local laws currently under consideration attempt to take away anybody’s guns or make all guns illegal to possess. The President is not trying to take away my guns, regardless of what conservative wing nuts and the NRA say. Except for a very small percentage of citizens who are haters of our government and believe they need military style weapons to protect themselves from our own government, ordinary Americans do not oppose reasonable common sense regulation of guns. Even a majority of the National Rifle Asso-ciation membership support the idea of reason-able gun regulation. Over 90 % of all Americans favor expanded background checks as a means of keeping criminals and mentally ill people from easily acquiring guns. The NRA does not support expanding background checks, but at one time it did. The major gun safety regulations being proposed would do the following:

1. Make weapons of war, most rapid fire assault weapons, illegal to own. Not all rapid fire weapons would be illegal to own, only those defined as designed for use by the military. Conventional wisdom is that this is not a good idea and will not pass in either the Sen-ate or House of Representatives.

2. Make high capacity ammunition magazines illegal. All magazines would not be outlawed or regulated. Only those that allowed some-one to rapid fire more than 7 or 10 shots. This part of any bill is likely to be defeated too.

3. Close background check loopholes so that all gun sales would be subject to background checks. Under current regulations, nearly half of all gun sales escape background checks. This provision may pass.

The argument made is that if guns are regulated or outlawed only criminals and mentally ill people would have guns. A catchy slogan but it is not true. These laws or regulations would not eliminate criminals or mentally disabled folks from obtain-ing guns, but they should lessen the numbers who do by attempting to prevent sales of weapons to these folks.

Nothing in the proposed legislation would prevent anyone, except mentally disabled and criminals, from owning or possessing revolvers, or rifles used to hunt or target shoot. It will remain illegal to pos-sess a gun while intoxicated, or on a commercial airline which most people, including the Supreme Court think are common sense and reasonable regulations.

Even the proposed new restrictions, if enacted, would not prevent future mass killing. They will not prevent mentally ill people or criminals from obtaining weapons and going out and killing people. They would not prevent future mass kill-ings of school children, theatre goers, or college students. They would however reduce the likeli-hood that criminals and mentally disabled people would get their hands on these weapons because it would simply be more difficult to do so. And it would likely reduce the number of people killed and wounded when they do.

Having laws that make theft, assault, or mur-der illegal does not prevent thefts, assaults, or murders from happening. However, they do have a deterrent effect because of the criminal penal-ties, including incarceration. They actually reduce the numbers of thefts, assaults, and murders that occur.

My conclusion from all these arguments: The gov-ernment is not coming to take my weapons. None of the laws would prevent me or any other citizen from amassing an arsenal of weapons with which we use to protect our home and family, hunt and

kill any of the wildlife that can be legally hunted and killed, or engage in recreational use of their weapons. The U.S. Congress is not in favor of com-mon sense reasonable regulations. Why? They fear voter reprisal from a sizeable gun lobby.

Militia enthusiasts, the NRA and gun manufactur-ers want no regulations at all. Ordinary Americans want reasonable regulations.

Did you know?

There are an estimated 310 million guns owned by private citizens in the United States. 49% of households own guns. 5.5 million firearms were manufactured in the U.S. in 2010, and 3.2 million firearms were imported. In a New York City police department study, police officers engaged in actual gun fights and trained in handling firearms hit their target only 18% of the time.

Are You Man Enough

28

Resurrection of Life An Easter StoryTripp’s meet daughter’s heart recipient and family

by Doc Leonetti

For just a singular, interminable moment, the mind and hearts of Paula and Emery Tripp were forever captivated; transfixed by a visit from the most significant people they will ever meet. In early July two years past, the Tripp’s received a call from Floyd and Mona Loper who reside in Reeseville, Wisconsin, a short hop from Waterton, a hamlet of 30,000 people located in the central part of the state. Floyd, Mona, and their children Matt, 11 years old, and Rachael, 15, telephoned the Tripp’s. The Loper’s were returning to Wisconsin from a vacation in California where they spent some qual-ity time with their kids in Disneyland. Their goal on their return home was to meet the Tripp’s who reside just five miles east of Trinidad on highway 160. Floyd, by the way, is the recipient of Lynette’s heart, Paula and Emery’s daughter who passed away 18 years ago. With much trepidation, they arrived at the Tripp home near highway 160 at 2:00 p.m. on July 2, 2011. It was a blustery, chilly Sat-urday afternoon on the eastern plains of southern Colorado, but the coming of Floyd Loper and his family was anything but that.

“It is unbelievable,” said young Rachael who wept intermittently throughout the entire visit. “It is so emotional.”

Floyd and Mona met in New Berlin, a suburb of Milwaukee, 19 years ago. They fell in love, and, of course, soon married. Floyd, now 43, and his bride were extremely happy. He labored relentlessly as a salesman, promoting ATV’s, Frito Lay products, and later was employed as a partner in his father’s

glassware business. At the robust age of 25, he pur-chased a restaurant and worked that business for a time. In the interim, he experienced some serious physical difficulties. “I had a hard time breathing when I was in my mid-twenties,” Floyd explained. “There was no understandable etiology. I couldn’t believe I was having a heart problem. I was too young for that. I always thought it was something else besides my heart. We also thought for a time it might be asthma. They finally discovered that I had an enlarged heart that was only 15 per cent effec-tive. I was in my early 20’s. The problem was slow progressing. We didn’t know for sure, but we knew things were just not right.”

Floyd and Mona were married four years before the discovery of his looming heart problem. The kids, whom they so dearly wanted, did not arrive until Floyd was functioning with a brand new heart. Lynette’s heart. Inextricably, the heart and soul and a million endearing memories of Paula and Emery Tripp.

“We were very fortunate to have kids,” explained Mona, who, like young Rachael and the remainder of the gathering, was so emotionally moved. “We were surprised. We didn’t think it would ever hap-pen. The doctors told us it wouldn’t happen. It is lovely, isn’t it? We are so grateful. It’s like Christmas every day for us. They told us Floyd may have about five years to live. Now we’re going on 16. It is so remarkable. You just don’t know. You have to live every minute of every day to the fullest. I just can’t say it enough about the Tripp’s. We are so grateful.”

The Loper family presented Paula and Emery with a beautiful stem rose embossed in gold. Paula, in turn, gave each of the kids figurines of little people made of modeling clay. The precious miniature statuettes were created by Lynette shortly before her passing. It was yet another emotional moment. “I hope something good comes out of it,” said Emery. “This is so good. Look at this (pointing at

the kids). Paula and I will do everything we can to promote the donations of organs. You, Floyd, are a living example of that, of what it all means. It’s really hard to believe. This is truly remarkable.”

Paula, too, was immensely pleased and so emo-tionally moved. “It is such a blessing to meet such a great family,” mused Paula. “I’m so glad Lynn’s heart went to such a great man. I was worried until they arrived. They are so wonderful, so nice. I just don’t know how to express it. I was sure happy to meet them. I would have never said no. It was perfect. You (Doc) were there. It couldn’t have been any better. They were safe and successful on their trip. They are doing great. It’s so good to see that. It’s all so swell. We couldn’t ask for any more.”

The Loper’s and the Tripp’s continue to maintain contact, exchanging Christmas gifts and e-mails monthly, messages with the inclusion of numerous pictures of Rachael and Matt.

“The important thing is that Floyd is healthy,” concluded Paula. “He goes for frequent checkups. I’m so glad we continue to communicate. I can’t say it enough, but it’s been a true blessing. We’ve really gotten to enjoy each other’s company. It’s all been so wonderful. I just hope their story will encourage others to be donors.”

Around Trinidad

THINGS TO DO March/AprilFriday, March 22 (7 p.m.) Saturday, March 23 (7 p.m.) and Sunday March 24 (2 p.m.) - The Famous Performing Arts Center and SCRT Resident Theatre presents “12 Angry Men.” Tickets available at ticket office at 131 W. Main Street, Trinidad, CO 81082. For more information call 719-846-4765.

Saturday, March 23 - The Women’s Exchange pres-ents “High Tea,” a ladies only fundraising event. Event begins at 10 a.m. Plated luncheon, silent auction, fashion show and more in the Trinidad State Jr. College cafeteria. Keynote speaker will be Dr. Michaele Sparaco and 2013 beneficiaries will be the Mt. Carmel Women’s Wellness Program and TSJC grant scholarships. Tickets available by call-ing 719-846-4178.

Saturday, March 30, 2013Hometown Holidays Easter Egg HuntLas Animas County Fairgrounds EXPO Center11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Visit with the Easter Bunny.

Saturday April 6 - Noah’s Ark Peacock Ball, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the A.R. Mitchell Memorial Museum of Western Art 150 E. Main Street, Trinidad, CO 81082.

Thursday, April 11- TALAS Art Show Reception. Trinidad Area Local Artists annual TALAS show reception tonight with show continuing through April 26th at the Corazon Gallery, 149. E. Main Street, Trinidad, CO 81082. For more information call 719-680-4727.

Redwing Electric Inc. Fuels Colorado’s Economic FireRedwing Electric Inc. is a vital part of Trinidad’s economy and our values. The sisters who man-age the company are known for providing quality jobs, services and sponsorships to area residents, businesses and organizations. Samantha Quintana is the owner and Master Electrician at Redwing. She is a dedicated professional that puts 200% into every project. She is also just as dedicated to sup-porting local businesses and organizations. A staff of committed professionals work hard and power the company.

If you visit the Redwing Electric Inc. office you can view an entire wall of certificates, memberships and awards recognizing Samantha’s achievements as a business owner and a caring person. Shantell Quintana is the organizer, communicator and cheerful personality at Redwing. You can also find awards and certificates recognizing her on the achievement wall. She always has a beautiful smile for anyone in her presence and will help clients quickly and efficiently. Shantell is also known for starting huge donation or non-profit efforts for local organizations. If she asks you to get involved and help others with her infectious optimism it is impossible to say “No.” Their mother, Sue, can often be found helping at the job sites, at the office, or with Shantell’s stunning daughters, Domonique and Donielle Quintana (featured on the Around Trinidad section cover).

Redwing Electric Inc. is being recognized as one of the Colorado Companies to Watch. This selec-tion acknowledges the hard work, dedication and contribution of Redwing Electric Inc. as a growing company in the state. Colorado Companies to watch honors second stage companies that develop valuable products and services, create quality jobs, enrich communities and create new indus-tries throughout Colorado. Colorado Companies to Watch is hosted by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) in partnership with the Edward Lowe Foundation.

There will be a celebration for this designation on March 29thfrom 10am until noon at the Redwing Electric Inc. office. There were only 50 companies chosen from the state of Colorado for this honor. Please go to Redwing Electric Inc. for the celebra-tion and show your appreciation and support for a company that continually supports and services Trinidad.

Redwing Electric Inc. will also unveil their new website, logo, signage and branding created by the local marketing company Merged Media. Own-ers Jay and E.R.A. love working side by side with businesses to help implement complete marketing plans using the latest trends in technology and traditional advertising.

Redwing Electric Inc. wishes to thank their Power Team, contractors, businesses and community members who have supported them and helped them succeed.

Colorado Companies to Watch HonorsREDWING ELECTRIC INC.

Friday, March 29th 201310 a.m. to Noon

225 East Goddard Avenue, Trinidad CO, 81082

www.redwingelectricinc.com

Whole Community Art Garage Sale at the Mitchell MuseumSpecial Submission from A.R. Mitchell Memorial Museum of Western Art

On Saturday and Sunday, April 20th and 21st, the Mitchell Museum will host an Art Garage Sale, one gigantic flea market of creativity.As an artist, have you ever had stacks of art

“stuff ” that you haven’t used in ten years? Well, this would be the time to unload and perhaps even “reload” with other artist’s recy-clables. That old adage, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure is so true.

Who knows, you might just find the perfect frame for one of the many shows coming up this next season in Trinidad, or sell your paintings, art supplies, ceramics, jewelry, art books, crafts or anything passing as art. After all, Trinidad is an Emerging Art District, and on our way to becoming a full-fledged Art District, so there will be many opportunities to display our creations at different venues around town. As artists, we always need inspi-ration and tools of the trade.

On the other hand, as a collector, REJOICE! You are in for a treat. What a great chance to purchase art-work at ridiculously low prices. I knew a famous Western artist who had one of these garage sales every year at Christmas-time. He made all of his money for the year over a weekend, even selling his sketchbooks. Wouldn’t that be NICE!

This huge art sale will be two days of fun; everyone is invited to come browse, visit, purchase and/or swap. Any musicians are wel-come to come and jam... this would add to the artarama atmosphere.

If you would like to have a table, just call Steve or Elaine at the Mitchell Museum (719) 846-4224. The only charge is for the table, $25 for the 2 days. April 20, Sat. (10-5) and April 21, Sun. (12-5).

Hope to see you all at the Mitchell!

www.armitchell.org

Art and Music

32

BE HEARDAround Trinidad was created to feature the people, places, and events of Trinidad and the surround-ing areas. Be Heard is our section to feature stories and announcements sent to us. In this section you can announce births, engagements, marriages, loss of loved ones, family reunions, anything YOU feel is important. You can email your news to info@aroundtrinidad.com or mail it to 1513 Arizona Ave, Trinidad CO 81082. Include photos if you like. If you have ideas for our “Hall of Fame,” “Busi-ness Spotlight,” or any other section send those to us as well. Please login to our website and use the free platform; we created for you.

Thank you for making Around Trinidad a positive and exciting highlight of our community.

FRESH AIRFirst Things FirstSubmitted by Sophie Leone of SRG’s Landscaping Supply

While a peek out your window might still tell you it’s still very much winter, Spring is on the way so do not let it sneak up on you. You may have thought that all the yard work done last fall would be good enough to herald the coming of the warmer season, but here is where you’re mistaken. Unfortunately, there is always a cleanup whenever the seasons change.

First, you must assess the lawn damage. Walk around the lawn and survey the effects left behind by the harsh dry winter. If you have a canine friend who runs at will in the yard, chances are their urine in the soil caused damage. If the damage is severe, you will have to re-sod or a new lawn seed-ing will be required.

Next, check your grass for matted patches and snow mold. This lawn disease sticks the grass blades together which will prevent new grass from sprouting. A light raking will fix these problems.

If you want to clean around and uncover your flower gardens do not uncover the roses or other perennials until the heavy frost is over. Clean away all the soil or other organic material that you used to seal them up for the winter as this material car-ries disease spores that infect your plants.

While the plants are still dormant, you can easily improve their health by pruning any that can be pruned. Remove the dead, blackened and damaged wood. Prune the cane down to the healthy wood and remove the branches that are twiggy, crossing, and are growing out of the side of the branches.

Check the rest of your landscape for damage, growth progress and any needed improvements, such as new mulch or replacing lost rock coverage. Check your evergreens. Do not be too worried if you do not see new growth. Wait until the buds have opened before removing any dead branches, unless they are broken. Take the same “wait and see” approach with perennial plants. Remove any mulch that was placed there to protect them. Some plants take a longer time to come out of winter dormancy than others do.

Spring is a time of renewal and reawakening from a long winter. It is also a wonderful time to set up your yard for the summer. Check into soil restoration products that will help with water and fertilizer absorption from the drought years we have experienced. While you are out in the fresh air of spring it will do as much to refresh yourself as well as your plants and lawn. Spend a couple of hours doing some proactive turf care and you will be rewarded with a healthier and more vigorous landscape.

For additional information on lawn and yard care, visit Sophie Leone at SRG’s Landscaping Supply & The Unique Garden Center, 2400 E. Main Street in Trinidad, Colorado or call her at 719-846-4170.

www.srglandscapingsupply.com

No More Bad Hair DaysBy Marty Hackett

Berets and Beanies are a Cheap Trick to Look Stylish

No desire or time to pick up the curling iron or spend the next hour trying to fix your hair? No problem. You can still look stylish and chic by topping off with a beret or beanie. This fashion tool is good for lazy days. Not to mention very popular right now as you will notice many of your favorite celebrities wearing these cute little toppers.

Berets and Beanies save you time to focus on other ways to look stylish. They’re a cute accessory to compliment any wardrobe, style or personality. They will keep you warm and are a great winter look. Best of all everyone can wear them, from kids to adults! You can even knit your own!

Follow these simple fashionista tips or mix and match to make it YOUR style!

Tip #1Gather your tresses together, tie into a simple bun and hide under your beanie/beret. No need to look tidy and neat (remember you are busy), let the baby hair or your bangs fall around your face. Remember, messy is sexy and bed head is in. You can add your favorite oversize sunglasses to hide tired eyes if you must. Voila!

Tip #2Rock your long straight hair by adding a beanie/ beret on your head and let your hair tumble onto your shoulders. Slip it to the side, slant it back on your head, or down low on your forehead. Experi-ment to match the day’s attitude, whether it be sassy or confident. Give yourself a whole new look in just a few minutes.

Tip #3Long and curly tresses can be adorned with a beret or beanie just as well. Wear full on your head or leave your bangs or parted hair to be seen. Glamor-ous celebrities use this fashion trick to tame the look of their wild masses of curls, but leave their long tresses to frame their face.

Tip # 4So you have short hair and out of ideas to style it? Instead of applying a gel on your cute short hair, style it with a beret or beanie. Place it in the middle of your head, let your bangs or baby hair fall on your forehead to give a chic effect to your appearance.

HOT TIPSStyle and Beauty

Get all your accessories at:

The Corner Shop101 E. Main StreetTrinidad, CO 81082

719.846.3301www.Trinidad CornerShop.com

Holiday Ideas from Marty’s Recipe File

Easter falls this year exactly two weeks after St. Patrick’s Day so I have included some tasty ideas for both holidays.

______________________________________________

Beef and Irish Stout StewGreat as an alternative to Corned Beef and Cabbage for St. Patty’s Day. (Feel free to add a little more beer than the recipe calls for!) Serve with mashed potatoes if you like.

2# lean beef stew meet, diced into 1 in. cubes3 T vegetable oil 1 clove garlic2 T flour pinch salt and pepper to tastePinch cayenne pepper 2 onions2 T. tomato paste 1 1/2 C Irish stout beer such as GuinnessSprig of fresh thyme 1 T chopped fresh parsley

Toss the beef cubes with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pep-per. Dredge the beef in flour mixture.

Heat the remaining oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, and brown on all sides. Add the onions, and garlic. Stir the tomato paste into a small amount of water to dilute; pour into the pan and stir to blend. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour 1/2 cup of the beer into the pan, and as it begins to boil, scrape any bits of food from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This adds a lot of flavor to the broth. Pour in the rest of the beer, and add the carrots and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust season-ing before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.

______________________________________________

Easter CupcakesThe easiest and simplest idea for decorating cupcakes so as not to add to the hustle and bustle of Easter Dinner is “nest egg” cupcakes, which requires nothing more than adding a sprinkle of colored coconut to your already frosted cupcakes, pushing down to make a “nest” and arranging a few jelly beans or marshmallow chicks on top. (To color coconut, add 5-6 drops of food coloring to ½ cup of coconut which has been placed in a baggie and mixed until colored.) Simple but fun for the little ones as an extra activity on egg dying night.

DELICIOUS DISHES

HEALTHY LIVING A Beacon of Health and WellnessBy Mike Garrett Trinidad native and Phil Long Family of Dealer-ships Chief Executive Officer Jay Cimino’s original Mt. Carmel Health, Wellness and Community Center vision is coming to fruition with almost every phase now falling into place.

Cimino’s vision is encompassed in the center’s marketing efforts: “Mt. Carmel stands as a beacon of health and wellness in Southern Colorado by serving not only the body and mind of its people but nurturing their spirit as well.” Mt. Carmel has since evolved into an alternative, yet viable health care, spiritual, entertainment and cultural center for Trinidad and Southeastern Colorado.

The Mt. Carmel Health & Wellness Integrated Family Care Clinic is attracting most of center management’s focus and attention as they seek to attract Trinidad area patients needing basic quality health care services. Dr. David Serafini, medical director and board certified family physician, and clinic manager and RN MaryLee Biber recently outlined what they want to accomplish with the integrated medical center.

“We’re really trying to help the community understand the integration of all the departments and the fact we’re here for the community as a resource,” to help evolve Mt. Carmel into a one-stop shop for the kinds of services the center offers Director of Operations Scott Candland explained. “We want the community to feel like they’re an equity partner in the project and use it as if it was their own. They can also come here to sit in the chapel and meditate, get their minds straightened out or they can walk in without an appointment for primary health care.” Chapel director Leo Bonfadini, who is in charge of all spiritual aspects of the center added, “We’re also evolving some Sunday afternoon spirituality health programs in the chapel and we’re solicit-ing the assistance of area clergy to help with that.” Bonfadini’s family goes way back in Trinidad’s his-tory with his family once operating a well-known neighborhood grocery store only a few blocks away from Mt. Carmel.

With Mt. Carmel’s emphasis on providing best in class health care services, Biber stressed how potential patients can access the clinic’s primary health care services with no appointments. “We take walk-ins but we recommend you get an appointment by calling 719-845-4880 to avoid a possible wait. We now have extended hours from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and we will

be open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 to 5 start-ing in March.”

The weekend clinic will soon be geared primar-ily for urgent care patients who otherwise would only consider a hospital ER visit, Biber said. An example would be someone whose blood pressure jumps into the danger zones and who might not have their needed medications to stabilize their condition. Other weekend treatment services of-fered will include sutures for severe cuts, provid-ing meds for bad colds, sore throats and coughs, infectious diseases, ear and urinary tract infections or any kind of minor trauma like twisted ankles or back sprains and lacerations. “If you have a broken leg, you probably ought to go to the emergency room,” said Serafini, also noting that long-term diabetic or blood pressure care patients still need to see their regular care physicians for treatment. Pregnancy tests and diagnostic throat cultures are also available, and workers comp care treatment is yet another service offered.

Dr. Serafini explained how most urgent care patients can be treated at Mt. Carmel’s health and wellness center for considerably less than they would pay for a hospital ER visit, regardless of their insurance provider situation. The center offers two on-site care providers, three nurses and a receptionist during the week. One provider and one nurse will be available on weekends. More staff will be added if patient demand warrants, and the clinic is currently looking for another well-quali-fied licensed nurse. On site is all the modern up-to-date diagnostic equipment to treat basic urgent care patients with the notable exception of X-ray equipment, which Candland said may be added at a future date “Oth-erwise, we are fully equipped.” The clinic can do some lab work, but X-rays and same day lab tests and results will have to be sent to the hospital. The directors noted that the clinic works closely with the Mt. San Rafael hospital and stressed that what Mt. Carmel offers are complementary services to those provided by the hospital, the health depart-ment, and the community’s other health resources.

www.mtcarmelcenter.org

5843 -The latest component of the Mt. Carmel vision is the Primero Cafe and Catering Co. which recently opened its doors under the management of former Little Catering Co. owners Mary Strange and Leona Falsetto and assisted by Lenore Mincic to serve on-site breakfasts and lunches. City coucil woman Michelle Miles on right.

TSJC Student sets sights on pediatric massageAfter 10 years in the home healthcare field working with the elderly, Sheri Ortivez needed a change. She decided to go a very different direction – pediatric massage.

Now more than halfway to getting a Massage Therapy Certificate, Ortivez, 38, is excited about the future. She hopes to help people like her cousin’s child, a toddler, whose legs stiffened up after a high fever and a seizure. The little boy had to take painkillers every day, and Ortivez said it broke her heart. As her classes progressed, she started to practice massage on her own children. “They loved it. They really loved it,” Ortivez said.

“For me,” she said, “the feeling’s different to work with a kid. It feels like I’m giving them knowledge. Not just a rubdown. I’m teaching them, without having to put a book in front of them. They’re gonna feel what it does. They’re gonna see what it does. And that’s what I like about it.”

Her classes require lots of hands on training, working on people of all ages. She says she’s seen improve-ments in the way people walk after only a few treatments. Ortivez hopes to someday make a living in the Trinidad area doing pediatric massage. “I hope to…if I could work with kids who have ADHD…if I could work with physical therapists as an add-on to what they do.” She says she has a regular client, about 10 years old, who comes in for a full-body massage on the TSJC Campus once a week. “They’re just fun. They have that fun energy.”

Ortivez said she’s trying to change the belief that a massage is only for rich people. She thinks if children can be introduced to the benefits of massage early, they’ll be able to see the difference it can make in their lives and pass it on to their kids. She says her own children love the comfort a massage gives them. “My son, for instance, sleeps a whole lot better after getting them,” said Ortivez. “He has growing pains and I’ve been doing aromatherapy with him, and stretching. It works wonders.”

While a full-body massage by a student at TSJC usually costs $20, Ortivez has permission to perform massage on children ages 4 to 12 on a donation basis during regular clinic hours, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 6 p.m. dependent on her availability.

Call the TSJC School of Massage at 719-846-5568 to schedule an appointment.

www.TrinidadState.edu

Children Feeling Better

The College SPOT

36

Lady Miners Building Hoops Tradition with a Bright Future

By Dave J. Santistevan Jr. Pressure! Defense! Hustle! Loyalty! Family! Over the past several seasons the Trinidad Lady Miners girls high school basketball program has turned into a force not only in the Tri-Peaks League, but teams all over the state of Colorado have taken notice of. The Big Blue Lady Miners up-tempo, in-your- face brand of basketball spearheaded by a great fan base and a veteran coach who has worked just as hard as his players have created a solid program with a bright future.

“Our girls have worked to build this program past and present. We have had players with the willing-ness to work on and off the court,” Lady Miner Head Coach George Dasko told Around Trinidad. “The girls are the key and most of them have a love and strong passion/desire to play the game of basketball at a high level. Now and in the next few years our program has continued to move forward because of all the players that have been part of the Lady Miner basketball tradition. I am honored to have had a part in building it.”

In 2011, Trinidad finished the regular season unbeaten. THS won its first district championship, hosted a Regional/State tournament game and qualified for the “Colorado Elite Eight Girls State Tournament” finishing fourth; all firsts in the Lady Miner’s hoops program history. This season, the Lady Miners won the first Trinidad State Jr. Col-lege girls tourney in an impressive fashion, taking home team honors; Coach Dasko was named the first girls coach to win the “Coach Rich Arguello Coaching award”; Sr. All-State point-guard Chelsea Velasquez was named the tourney’s first Most Valuable Player and Fr. Devon Sandoval was named to the All-Tourney team. The Lady Miners headed into the Colorado Class 3A Region Six games with an 18-4 record and a second place finish in the Tri-Peaks League District Playoffs, and were selected for the second straight year to host the regional playoffs. “This is big deal for us, for the girls, for the school, for our town!” Dasko added, “Our girls really do appreciate the support from the students, school and community. The team loves to play in front of our fans, they can get loud and that really does push the team to play a good hard style of Lady Miner basketball.” The Lady Miners have had a number of all confer-ence and all state players who have gone on to play at different colleges. This year, Trinidad is led by Velasquez and Sr. guard Ashleigh Vecellio and down in the paint, THS had two solid forwards in seniors Molly Roth and Joy Rea and Jr. guard Christa Rhoades who all gave Dasko a solid lineup.

Vecellio is the workhorse on defense. She has 62 steals and grabbed 50 defensive rebounds. The trio of Roth and Rea, and Fr. Casey LaFon, teamed up for 376 total rebounds 22 blocks, and 73 steals.

Rhoades is physical and is a key component to the Miners full court trap. Rhoades is averaging 2.5 steals a game and she blocked a shot or two. Velas-quez averages 16.5 points per game which is 30th in all classifications in the state and she is sixth in Class 3A scoring. Velasquez is in the top 100 in the nation, third overall in the state and first in Class 3A averaging 8.1 assists a contest. Velasquez also is in the top 50 in the nation with 6.5 steals (151 total steals), which ranks her fifth overall in Colorado. “I pushed for Velasquez to be the player of the year last season and I will push for her be the player of the year in 3A this season,” St. Mary’s Girls Head Basketball Coach Mike Burkett told Around Trini-dad. “Coach Dasko has built a good program in Trinidad. They’re not very big but those girls have heart and can play.” Lamar Girls Head Coach Erik Melgoza agreed, “Velasquez is a special player, and she has a great rapport with some of our players. Trinidad like Lamar is tough, they are small public schools who work hard. Coach Dasko and all the players should be complimented for the girls basketball program.”Trinidad, the #7 ranked team, just hosted the four team Class 3A Southern Region Six tourney, which featured #10 Sterling (18-4), #23 Bennett (15-7) and #26 Bayfield (10-12). This year THS is averag-ing 48 PPG, while only giving up 29.9 PPG, and is among the team leaders in 3A with 12.9 assists a game and 347 team steals. THS is shooting 38 percent from the field. Yes, the Lady Miners from little ol’ Trinidad have come a long way, with a lot of hard work and dedication, putting in a lot of blood, sweat and tears along the way, which has helped pave the way for a bright future for the Lady Miner basketball program.

Trinidad Sports

Helping Students SucceedBy Marty Hackett

In recognition of championship level performance in the Trinidad community, the Trinidad Commu-nity Foundation awarded Judge Leslie Gerbracht the 2012 City of Champions Award. Judge Ger-bracht, as the Third Judicial District Judge, encour-ages students to attend school through a truancy prevention program and the GED Requirement Program which helps those students who are struggling with their education.

Judge Gerbracht started the Truancy Prevention Program in the Third Judicial District in 2007 after becoming aware of a truancy problem in area schools. Working with area school principals, Judge Gerbracht is made aware of students exhibit-ing a truancy pattern and places them on her court docket immediately. Having a court proceeding encourages students to attend school. Working in concert with the Truancy Program is the GED Requirement Program, a program that not only ad-dresses adolescences, it requires applicable adults on probation to attend GED classes and obtain a GED to better their lives.

Judge Gerbracht is pleased with the success of both programs, which she said she modeled after similar successful district court-ordered programs in Pueblo. The programs’ primary long-term goals are to keep school truancy law violators and dropouts from eventually ending up in her court as adults who have broken state criminal laws.

“If they violate the school attendance law, then they have to come see me,” she said. “The goal is to get them back in school.” The long-term goal is to get them engaged in putting a greater emphasis on education.”

She has had six truancy law violator students graduate from high school who likely otherwise would never have graduated as a result of her Truancy Prevention Program. Another program student is scheduled to graduate this spring “who has been with me almost all his high school career. He is excited about school and is now talking about going to TSJC. When he comes into court I can see by the way he talks with me that he is a lot more excited about education after four years.”

Judge Gerbracht, who keeps pictures of all her graduates in her County Courthouse office, stressed that most of those in her two programs (19 are currently in the truancy prevention program) are generally school dropouts who don’t yet have any criminal records. “I have kids all the way down to first grade up through high school.” She said 26 kids have so far earned their GED’s through the GED Requirement Program who again probably would not have earned any kind of degree. Of those, she said one student went on to earn his welding certificate at TSJC and another who got his CDL license at TSJC.

In attending their GED graduation exercises and speaking with graduates in her courtroom, the gratified Judge said she has received thanks from many students who said they never would have graduated if she hadn’t ordered them to return to school. “They are so proud and so excited that they have that accomplishment. A lot of them are the first in their families to get a high school diploma.” She noted that the younger grade school students want to be in school but it’s the parents in many cases who haven’t placed enough emphasis on their children being there. “If they’re not there, it’s a par-ent problem. It’s not the eight-year-old’s problem that that he is not in school. It has to do with the culture of that family that they don’t place a high value on education because they probably didn’t get an education either.”

Whatever issues their parents have for not ensur-ing that their children are attending school, Gerbracht stressed that by the time the parents and students see her in court, she will do everything in her power to break that family’s perpetual truancy cycle, especially those parents of small children who don’t think it’s a big deal that they miss lots of kindergarten or first grade classes. “They don’t understand that the lessons they’re learning in first grade they will have to know to do well in second or third grade.” Other families, she said, just aren’t aware that their children are missing so much school.

The bottom line for Gerbracht is that all national studies and statistics show that if students don’t graduate from high school, they are at an increased risk for future criminal activity, substance abuse, poverty and teenage pregnancies because they can’t get any meaningful job after dropping out of school. Even with a GED under the current eco-nomic downturn, she said kids are having a tough time finding a good job. “My philosophy is, if they have a high school diploma or GED, at any time in their life if they decide they want to go back to a junior college, a trade school and have learned later in their life that their education is important, then they’re ready to go. It won’t seem like such an insurmountable task because they will have that basic threshold to jump right into junior college or wherever.”

She was appointed as District Judge on Sept. 13, 2006. She graduated from Southern Illinois University Law School. She continues to serve on the board of TSJC Educational Foundation and was also instrumental in establishing the Trinidad Farmer’s Market in 2000, serving as a board presi-dent and volunteer until 2005. Prior to her judge appointment she was in private practice for nearly two years and was a deputy state public defender for seven years.

She is viewed as being in “good control of her docket and treating parties fairly and equitably”; having “good knowledge of legal issues and hav-ing a very good work ethic,” by the Third Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance who also commended her with her success with truant juveniles.

Judge Gerbracht was honored by the Trinidad Community Foundation at the Trinidad: City of Champions Award Dinner on Saturday, February 23. In 2011, the Trinidad Community Foundation established the Trinidad: City of Champions Award to recognize and reward championship level per-formance in one or more of TCF’s five pillars by an individual, or group, in the Trinidad community.

Hall of FAMETrinidad

38

Scholastic Hall of Fame(Only includes participating schools)

Fishers Peak ElementaryMost Improved StudentJaden Maldonado, 5th grader is the 10 year old son of James Maldonado. Jaden has im-proved academically and socially throughout the year.

Outstanding Academic Student Nicholas DeAngelis, 5th grader is the 12 year old son of Joe and Toni DeAngelis. Nicholas consistently earns A’s in his classes and high scores in state and local testing.

Outstanding AthleteCalvin Duran, 5th grader is the 11 year old son of Dean and Jennifer Duran. Calvin has played football, basketball and baseball since the age he was allowed to participate.

Outstanding TeacherLydia Velarde, 5th grader teacher is a dedicat-ed teacher who seldom misses a day of school, is passionate about education, and loves her students. She has been an elementary teacher for the past 40 years.

A big thank you to teachers and staff at Eck-hart and Fisher’s Peak Elementary Schools. Your dedication to the students is appreciated.

Bob and Tara JustJust Architectural & Engineering, Inc.

924 Smith AveTrinidad, CO 81082719.845.1566

Holy Trinity AcademyMost Improved Student Niccole Cordova, increasing her GPA 1.07 points for a current GPA of 3.43. Niccole is the daugher of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Cordova.

Outstanding Academic Student High School: John Garcia, GPA 4.0. John is the son of Gerald Garcia.Middle School: Brian Lee, GPA 3.9. Brian is the son of Susan Lee.Elementary School: Sofia Sinda, GPA 4.0. Sofia is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Juha Sinda.

Outstanding AthleteJoanna Jimenez, GPA 3.75 inclusive of college classes, while participating in varsity Bas-ketball, Volleyball and Soccer. Joanna is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Jimenez.

Outstanding Teacher Mrs. Phyllis Massarotti is an Outstanding

40

Teacher at HTA! She has taught since the school’s inception in 2004. Mrs. Massarotti teaches Social Studies, English and Physi-cal Education at the school. She also serves on the HTA Administrative Team. She is a co-administrator in charge of Building and Maintenance.

“Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life.” Tecumseh Poem.

Century Financial Group (Business Solutions)

109 W. Main St.Trinidad, CO 81082719.846.4522

Trinidad High SchoolMost Improved StudentRicky Waits, son of Ricky Waits Sr. and Am-ber Griego

Outstanding Academic StudentAustin McKenzie, son of Lawrence McKenzie

Outstanding TeacherJenny Zuech

Gina Lujan-GarciaEl Rancho Restaurant

1901 Santa Fe TrailTrinidad, CO 81082719.846.9049

Duran Oil Co.

426 N. Chesnut St.Trinidad, CO 81082719.846.9822

Trinidad Middle SchoolMost Improved StudentCamilla Romero

Outstanding Academic StudentCecelia Ann Bak, daughter of Doug Bak

Outstanding AthleteVance Ferraro, exceeds at basketball, baseball and football. Son of Donnie and Jean Ferraro.

Outstanding TeacherMs. Gloria Palomino-Simms

Congratulations to our great teachers and students in our community for all of your achievements and hard work. We are proud of you.

D-N-V Plumbing & Heating

407 W. Colorado AveTrinidad, CO 81082719.846.0934

Primero School DistrictMost Improved StudentHailey Harris, 2nd grade, most improved in reading fluency. Daughter of Jeremiah and Tiffany Harris.

Outstanding Academic StudentKaitlyn Mantelli, Valedictorian.

Outstanding AthleteJosh Huey, All Star football player. Son of Dave and Becky Huey.

Outstanding TeacherAll our teachers are valuable and work to-gether as a team.

Our best wishes to all of the students at Prim-ero Grade School and High School. We cherish the years we spent in the Primero area. We urge all students to strive to do their very best. As the years pass, you will represent everyone who has grown up in the Primero area.Lucille, Mary Ellen and David Hadad Sr. Go Bulldogs!!!

Hadad’s Home Furnishings Inc.

131 E. Main St.Trinidad, CO 81082719.846.3373

Grace Christian CenterMost Improved StudentLaurel ParkMacy Land

Outstanding Academic StudentJeb Crummer, 12th grade. Son of Michelle Eichler.

Outstanding AthleteSeth Crummer, 9th grade. Son of Michelle Eichler.

Taking great pride in our students and educa-tors because our future is bright with their combined efforts.

Samantha & Shantell QuintanaRedwing Electric Inc.

225 E. Goddard Ave.Trinidad, CO 81082Trinidad: 719.846.1761Raton: 575.445.1717www.redwingelectricinc.com

Raton High SchoolMost Improved StudentNathaniel Alderette, joined Marines in De-cember 2012. Son of Chris Aldrette.

Outstanding Academic StudentMarisa McCarty, daughter of Cynthia and David McCarty.Tyler Vertovec, son of Kathy and Tom Vert-ovec.Devon Gutierrez, son of Christine and Greg Gutierrez.Callie Wilson, daughter of Vicky and Tory Wilson.Mariah Daniel, daughter of Fara Chavez and Michael Daniel.

Outstanding AthleteBrylee Medina, received Wendy’s Heisman Ward, 3AA All-District Girls Basketball award. Daughter of Dana and Joey Medina.

Outstanding TeacherDana Medina, recognized for her 15 years of teaching students personal finance and com-puter skills.

Myra Baird, recognized for teaching students everyday cooking skills and life skills for the real world.

We are all very proud of your accomplish-ments and achievements. They do not go un-noticed. Keep up the good work.

Gilbert Romero Jr.Advanced Background Check1400 Arnold St., Raton, NM 87740505.510.2215www.advancedbackgrounds.com

THANK YOU!

To all the businesses that supported this month’s Scholastic Hall of Fame Section.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTLa Quinta Trinidad Ranked No. 1 in Nation!By Marty Hackett

The La Quinta Inn and Suites of Trinidad Wellness Hotel was recently ranked #1 overall out of 450 franchise La Quintas nationwide as well as #1 Experience Hotel. Congratula-tions to Cy Michaels and her business partner Charlie Albert and their staff of La Quinta Trinidad.

“It’s pretty amazing what this small group of people have done,” said Michaels. “Thank you, thank you to our employee team, guests and home town Trinidad!!! Michaels noted that the “Experience” Award is based on her guests’ experience in Trinidad, “which is huge!” She regularly sends her visitors into the heart of Trinidad for dining, shopping and entertain-ment to complete their all-around experience in the community.

She and Albert attended a conference in Fa-jardo, Puerto Rico February 23-27 to receive their awards. Albert and his wife Judy were surprised to find that Michaels had nominated them for the national humanitarian award for their many works in Guatemala. At the time, she also informed Area La Quinta Director, Alan Ames of Trinidad’s local Girl Scouts fundraising efforts to send cookies to Albert’s schools in Guatemala.

“While they were selling, the girl scouts told individuals who didn’t necessarily want the cookies for themselves they could purchase them for the kids in Guatemala.” Over 290 boxes of cookies were sold by local Girl Scout Troop 32185 for the students in Albert’s schools! Michaels personally traveled to Se-nahu, Guatemala to deliver the cookies.

“Traveling with all these cookies and getting them there was another adventure,” she said. “The ride up to Senahu is at least 10 hours if all the roads are open, going through many “questionable” areas. At one point when the translator was explaining to the children there that these cookies came from the American Girl Scouts in Trinidad, Colorado, I kept tell-ing myself not to cry. My tears of happiness were because I was able to be the delivery girl to this magical spot that Charlie and his wife Judy are creating.”

She returned with necklaces for the girl scouts that were made in Guatemala, explaining to the girls how good works traveled from Trini-dad to the hillsides of Senahu and back.

Not only were the Albert’s surprised at the La Quinta conference to receive the Humanitar-ian Award, but Michaels was “totally dumb-

founded” when it was announced that the hotel and the girls scouts received the #1 spot for The National Community Service Award of 2012!

The La Quinta in Trinidad employs 35 local people and Michaels attributes the hotel’s success to her employees. She thanks Control-ler Tara Just, Front Desk Manager Kim Festi, Sales Manager and Assistant General Manager Yvette Dominguez, Chief Engineer Randy Romero, Housekeeping Manager Teresa Ochoa and her assistant housekeeping manager Edith Del Rio.

“It is their hard work and dedication that makes the difference,” she said.

“I am very pleased,” said Festi. “It is nice to get recognition for all we have done!” However, she shined the spotlight back on Michaels for their success. “It is because Cy makes this a “family” oriented place that makes it easy to come to work and do the job we need to do.”

Tara Just, who has worked with the “team” for nearly 15 years, agreed that it is Mi-chaels’ leadership that makes the difference. “Cy, Yvette, Kim, Randy and I have worked together for a long time, we are a family team; and Cy is not like my boss, she’s like my sister. She cares about everything! Her employees, her guests, her town, just everything.”

Romero, who is known to go above and be-yond to make sure that everything that needs repairing is fixed, added that the hotel’s prior-ity is always guest service. “I just make sure that everything is working and up to par.”

The La Quinta Trinidad was ranked #2 in the nation for the year 2012 of the ten regions including Mexico and Canada. The Trinidad hotel received the #1 award which includes all the hotels in Utah, Colorado, Southern Cali-fornia, Wyoming, Arizona and Nevada. One GM from each region was given the #1 trophy for the hotel in the Franchise system.

Photo courtesy Cy Michaels

Paw News “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” Charles M. Schulz

Except if you’re a dog… Chocolate contains a substance known as theobromine (similar to caffeine) which can kill dogs or at the very least make them violently ill. Easter is a time of year where the sweets are EVERYWHERE! So, please make sure they out of your dog’s reach so they can enjoy the Holidays with your family.

The problem, according to veterinary experts, is that just like most adults, eating a speck of chocolate leads a dog to crave more. It can mean that your dog will jump at an opportu-nity to get any type of chocolate, not knowing that certain chocolates are more lethal than other types. Larger amounts of chocolate, particularly of the most toxic type, can bring about epileptic seizures in some dogs, and in all dogs, can kill.

Poisoning of dogs by chocolate is not as un-common as you might think.

“Chocolate ingestions are one common reason why pet owners and veterinarians call us,” said Dana Farbman, Certified Veterinary Techni-cian and Manager, Client and Professional Relations, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. “However, it would be difficult to verify an exact ranking in frequency of calls, as the types of substances we receive calls on can vary greatly depending on many factors, including the time of year. We generally do ex-perience somewhat of a rise in chocolate calls around holidays, such as Halloween, Easter, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Why is Chocolate Lethal?

Chocolate contains theobromine. A naturally occurring stimulant found in the cocoa bean,

theobromine increases urination and affects the central nervous system as well as heart muscle. While amounts vary by type of choco-late, it’s the theobromine that is poisonous to dogs.

Symptoms of Chocolate Dog Ingestion and Poisoning

You can recognize that your dog has eaten a toxic dose of chocolate from the symptoms. Within the first few hours, the evidence in-cludes vomiting, diarrhea or hyperactivity. As time passes and there’s increased absorption of the toxic substance, you’ll see an increase in the dog’s heart rate, which can cause arrhyth-mia, restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitch-ing, increased urination or excessive panting.This can lead to hyperthermia, muscle trem-ors, seizures, coma and even death.

How Much Chocolate Is Deadly?

If a 50-pound dog eats a teaspoonful of milk chocolate, it’s not going to cause serious prob-lems. However, if that same dog gorges himself on a two-layer chocolate cake, his stomach will feel more than upset and soon it’s likely he’ll be vomiting or experiencing diarrhea.

To answer the question “How much is too much” is not simple. The health and age of your dog must be considered. If your dog is aged and not in top shape, his reaction to a plate of chocolate is going to be different from a young healthy dog of the same weight.

Another fact that must be considered is this: Not all chocolate is the same. Some has a small amount of theobromine; another type has a large amount and still another contains an amount that is somewhere in between. The quantity has a relationship with the weight of your dog. Small dogs can be poisoned, from smaller amounts of theobromine than large dogs.

The simplest way to avoid having to do the math on how much and what kind of chocolate you should allow your dog to eat = NONE! And that equals more for you!

EDUCATIONEggciting Times for Early Learning Center ChildrenBy Marty Hackett

The COG Early Learning Center “Egg Drop” and weeklong celebration of the “egg” is an exciting annual event for the children of the Early Learn-ing Center at 1225 Rosita in Trinidad. Each year preceding the Easter Holiday, children enrolled at the center participate in a variety of “egg” related activities. This year’s event will take place on March 21, 2013 @ 10 am.

They weigh eggs, measure them, sink them, float them, learn the parts of them, match them, color them, make egg salad and play with live baby chicks.

The grand finale though, is the “Fireman’s Egg Drop!” Families are assigned a homework project in which they “package” a raw egg in any manner they desire with the end result being that when the container with the egg inside is dropped from the extended fire truck ladder parked in the Center’s parking lot, the egg remains unbroken.

Over the years, Center Director Deb Hartman and her staff of teachers have seen some very creative egg containers. Bubble wrap inside of oatmeal boxes, parachutes attached so the container glides down slowly, layers and layers of sponges and many, many more. Each year reveals new creations to protect the egg and the students are ever so excited to see if their egg made it to the ground

safely and occasionally driven to tears if it doesn’t, but the project is all in fun.The Trinidad Fire Department also looks forward to the annual event and revels in the awe that the children express when the fire truck rolls into the lot and the firemen climb the ladder to the highest point to drop the containers!

The COG Early learning center has been a hub of activity since the beginning of the year, with the Las Animas County Health Department providing dental presentations to the children in February in recognition of Dental Hygiene month. Health Department nurse Kathy Montera distributed toothbrushes, water cups and brushing timers to the children following the presentation.

Program Director Deb Hartman and Administra-tive Assistant Renee Monohan recently returned from the State Capital on a Legislative visit in observance of Early Childhood Advocacy Day and the students just celebrated a special Birth-day on March 4 when they gathered in the center mezzanine and read Dr. Seuss books followed by birthday cake for Dr. Seuss’s Birthday!

Other events and activities going on at the Early Learning Center include car seat safety check points where Trinidad Ambulance, Colorado State Patrol, Trinidad Police Department, the Las Animas County Sheriff Department and Colorado Drive Smart personnel check family car seats to safeguard that seats are installed correctly, free of charge with three new car seats given to qualifying participants.

The center also works in conjunction with the Las Animas County Health Department to insure that children’s immunizations are up to date and to provide needed immunizations free of charge.Sgt. Tonya Billinger of the Colorado State Patrol

and Phyllis Kilgroe from the Carnegie Public Library provide yet another exciting activity for the children when they arrive to share reading time with the children monthly, both focusing on the pre-literacy campaign and Billinger also focusing on positive law enforcement.

To find out more about eggsactly what the Early Learning Center is doing for area children, contact Deb Hartman at 719-845-0568.

Family TimeThank a School Bus Driver Today!

Submitted by Primero R2 School District

The American School Bus Council (ASBC) hon-ored school bus drivers nationwide during Febru-ary for “Love the Bus Month.” The Love the Bus Program was founded in 2007 and is coordinated by the American School Bus Council (ASBC). Love the Bus is celebrated in school districts across the country as a way to raise awareness and apprecia-tion for the hundreds of thousands of school bus drivers who safely transport school children to and from school each day.

ASBC estimates more than 26 million children ar-rive safely to and from school each day on 480,000 school buses. According to the National Associa-tion for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transporta-tion Services (NASDPTS), and the National School Transportation Association (NSTA), school buses are the largest and safest transportation system in the country.

In Colorado for the 2011-2012 school year, 863,561 students were enrolled in Colorado public schools. Transportation departments across the state safely carried 334,079 or about 39 percent of these students. Our approximately 6,300 school buses traveled 53,365,359 miles to and from school.

We would like to recognize the safe transportation that Colorado provides. The last student fatality accidents in Colorado were:

Inside a school bus on route – December 14, 1961Inside a school bus on activity trip – June 2, 1989Outside school bus in the danger zone – May 15, 1987

The National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. De-partment of Transportation, and other authorities agree that school buses are the safest form of trans-portation for getting children to and from school.

Please take this opportunity to recognize the Transportation Professionals within your district!

To learn more facts and safety tips about the national icon for education, the school bus, visit: www.lovethebus.com.

43

NEW VIEWSNot as Boring as You ThinkWritten by THS student Nick Ruybalid

THS students find ways to have fun through not-so-obvious clubs, activities and courses.

What’s your first thought when you think about high school? It’s probably something to the effect of “Algebra,” or “English.” Students at the local Trinidad High School may tend to think of a few other things, as many extra-curricular activities are offered. It isn’t just music and athletics, either. Here are a few of the easily forgotten organizations found behind the school walls.

Knowledge Bowl is a competition for high school students that calls for exactly what the title states: basic knowledge. Knowledge Bowl competitions are similar to a game show that one would see on television, but it is played in teams and covers all topics. The teams consist of groups of three or four students each, which play in three oral rounds and one written round during the competition. For each correct answer, the team gets a point. The school that receives the most points at the end wins the competition for that month. The teams with the most total points at the end of the year may advance to a regional competition, leading to state and even national standoffs. The Trinidad High School Knowledge Bowl team came in second place for 2A schools last year, bowing down only to La Junta.

Key Club is not like Knowledge Bowl in the fact that the title doesn’t match. In fact, it has nothing to do with keys at all. Key Club is a student-run organization that focuses mainly on community

service. It is a branch of Kiwanis International and has every similarity to it with the exception that it is one-hundred percent comprised of teenagers. Past projects which students have dedicated their time to include UNICEF fund-raising, Operation Christmas Child, and various projects within the city and county. Members attend weekly meetings to talk about what they can do to better the future of the world around us.

Spent some time in the shop lately? Trinidad High School is equipped with a full, running wood shop and auto shop. Though these activities are actually offered as courses and not as extra-curricular, the shops are always buzzing with the sounds of machines and students enjoying themselves. The wood shop is located in the second building of the school campus, which is where students go to make their ideas and creations to become physical entities. Also, it helps give great skills that can be used for the little fix-its around the home. The auto shop, on the other hand, is not connected to the campus, and is in fact closer to the middle school than it is the high school. If someone is having an issue with their vehicle, they can call the THS Auto Department and have it looked at and fixed at no cost except perhaps parts. The best part is that students receive an education by working on your car. Trinidad High also has a metal shop that is unfortunately not currently in service.

Finally, to end this article on a “high note” THS has a jazz band that most people aren’t aware exists. Everybody surely knows of the marching band and chorus, but the jazz band is commonly overlooked. This small group (less than fifteen people) per-forms throughout the year, and though they may be minuscule, they emit a pure, upbeat and ex-travagant sound. You can hear them at most choir and band concerts at the end of each semester.

LIFEA poem by Primero 8th grader

M’Kinna Martin

Life,Difficult, hard

But don’t worry,You can make itYou’re worth it.

Even though it leaves scars

You only have one lifeSo live it up

Every storm runs out of rainSo hang in there

and be strong.

It may not seem like it now,But one day, I promise,

You’ll be completely happyNo fears, no doubts,

Nothing holding you back.

Life.

County Report Card Shows A for EffortBy Mike Garrett

Las Animas County is continuing to find ways to do a lot more with a lot less by efficiently coordi-nating and streamlining its efforts and assets with other governmental and business agencies.

County administrator LeeAnn Fabec, finance director Larry Lockhart, Road and Bridge Supervi-sor Phil Dorenkamp and Department of Human Services Director Catherine Salazar updated a Trinidad & Las Animas County Chamber of Com-merce luncheon crowd February 20th on their departments’ goals and cost-cutting objectives.

Fabec, who started working for the county in January of 2000 after a 20-year career with the Las Animas-Huerfano County District Health Depart-ment, outlined operation facts, figures and county history with particular emphasis on planned Perry Stokes Airport upgrades. She described how the county plans to spend its 2013 $25.2 million budget.

“The county sustained a 46% drop in property tax revenues in 2011 as a result of the oil and gas in-dustry curtailing most of their drilling operations. I think everybody’s budgets were cut to the bone but we did what we needed to do to keep opera-tions going. In the past two years the fluctuation in property tax revenues has been much less severe so we’ve been dealing with that as it comes. As a result of county department heads and commissioners decisions to live within its means we are in solid financial condition.”

Fabec said her immediate goals are to act as a conduit between residents, businesses and other local governments and the county commission-ers. “Since I began my tenure as administrator, I’ve been working to bring the city and county government together to see where we can combine efforts and resources to meet our common chal-lenges. City manager Tom Acre and I have been meeting on a regular basis. I want to join with the county commissioners, our staff and members of our community to look for ways to achieve healthy economic growth, not only in the pursuit of new businesses but to support our existing resources such as our junior college and our hospital. Without these institutions our challenges would be extremely difficult.”

Lockhart, who grew up in Trinidad and fam-ily once owned numerous campus properties, graduated from Trinidad High School, TSJC and Colorado State University before beginning a distinguished accounting and consulting career. He came back home to make a difference in the county’s falling economic fortunes and assist his ailing mother. “People hired me to come in and make their companies profitable,” said Lockhart.

After discovering his many financial talents and expertise, county commissioners decided to put Lockhart to work in several aspects of county administration and economic development. Lockhart, who started in January, said that means taking a broader, more regional approach to eco-nomic development by crossing state borders into Colfax County to attract more statewide interest to the area. He is also involved with development of the airport’s 20-year master plan and how chang-ing technology will play a huge role. “It seems like there is not a lot of coordination and communica-tion there so hopefully we can bring in the coop-eration of the city. There is a tremendous amount of opportunity but it needs to be coordinated and resources utilized efficiently rather than 14 differ-ent directions at once.”

Dorenkamp said his 43-employee Road and Bridge Department continues to be challenged with maintaining 1,500 miles of county paved and mostly gravel roads. Over the past three years, his department has been busy repairing and upgrading 10 county bridges that the state determined were in critical condition. The last two of those bridges are scheduled for repairs this summer. Another 122 micro bridges, 1,200 cattle-guards, 2,700 culverts and 1,800 signs and posts and numerous gravel pits also have to be maintained.

He agreed with Fabec and Lockhart on the need for city-county governments and the private sector to work together in partnerships to share equip-ment and other assets in project development and offset ongoing operating expense increases. He listed numerous projects that have benefited from that mutual cooperation. For example, “the last few years we’ve increased the funding to have the private sector do the production of gravel at our county pits from $100,000 in 2010 to $332,000 in 2014.”

Salazar then outlined specific facts and figures to show how the 41 member, $10.3 million dollar

budgeted Human Services is expanding its five department client service base and contributing substantially to the local economy, particularly child welfare and adult services departments. She said her office is always looking at options and alternatives to more efficiently operate each de-partment despite increased caseloads and operat-ing costs. “Over the last four or five years with the national economic downturn, Las Animas County has not been exempt from that. We’ve sustained a 138% increase in our food assistance program, from 775 cases in 2008 to 1,400 today.” She said the program’s budget went from $1.7 million to $4.2 million.

The department’s Medicaid program brought $17.5 million into the Trinidad area, she said. Another $2 plus million a year has come in through child support collections over the past five years. “In nearly 10 years, that department has collected $19 million. Our child welfare and adult caseworkers remain diligent in terms of responding to allega-tions of abuse or neglect not only of children but of at-risk adults,” said Salazar.

The popular LEAP energy usage assistance pro-gram (to pay city-county utility bills from Nov. 1 to April 1) continues to help low-income, mostly elderly residents. “We’ve received 1,060 applica-tions just this year alone.”

The bottom line to the county’s economic down-turn has resulted in much higher caseloads, Salazar noted. “When people are working they don’t need our services. But because of the economic down-turn, people we’ve never seen before are turning to our departments for assistance.”

Photo cutline- County Administrator Leeann Fabec shows Department of Corrections workers Rosalie Marquez, left, and Lisa Montoya, the book of minutes which dates to 1866. Photo by Mike Garrett

Government___________________

46

Believe...Holy Trinity Church235 North Convent StreetTrinidad, CO 81082 719-846-3369

Bible Baptist Church 1102 Stonewall AveTrinidad, CO 81082 719-845-0827

Fisher’s Peak Community Church10377 Santa Fe TrailTrinidad, CO 81082 719-846-6018

First Christian Church200 S. Walnut StreetTrinidad, CO 81082 719-846-3843

Church of Christ1000 Nevada Ave. Trinidad, CO 81082 719-846-2919

All Nation’s Fellowship131 W. Main St.Trinidad, CO 81082 719-846-9100

Jehovah’s Wintnesses Trinidad Congregation1713 Goodale Ave. Trinidad, CO 81082 719-846-3119

Zion’s Lutheran Church613 Prosect Trinidad, CO 81082 719-846-7785

First United Methodist Church216 Broom St. Trinidad, CO 81082 719-846-6824

Church of the Nazarene733 Stonewall Ave. Trinidad, CO 81082 719-845-0383

Faith Christian Fellowship2608 Santa Fe. Trail Trinidad, CO 81082 719-846-9673

The Lord’s Chapel Hwy 12 ¼ mile west of Segundo719-846-8506

First Pentecostal Church10375 Santa Fe. TrailTrinidad, CO 81082 719-846-2987

United Presbyterian Church801 San PedroTrinidad, CO 81082 719-846-6513

Seventh Day Adventist Church 1605 Aiello St. Trinidad, CO 81082 719-846-0244

Valued MembersSubmitted by Bertha Sandoval

Leland and Michele Mehsling are a pleasant, friendly, and devoted couple standing ready to lend a helping hand. Leland was born in Decorah, Iowa into the home of Don and Helen (Sheetz)-Mehsling. His parents believed in the freedom of life and moved to different states since Lee’s father was a diversified, skilled worker in many areas from cabinet building to the meat cutting industry. His mom was a homemaker, caring for Lee and his six siblings.

Lee attended various grade schools, graduating from Helena, MT High School in 1967. Immedi-ately, he enlisted in the United States Navy serving four years as an aircraft mechanic during the Viet Nam Conflict and was honorably discharged in 1971. Lee then came to Denver, Colorado and spent 30 years as an auto and heavy equipment mechanic. In 1999, he became employed by the Colorado Department of Corrections, retiring from the Trinidad facility after 12 years.

Michele was born in Logansport, Indiana to the union of Ralph and Bertha (Ray) Rhodes. Her father worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and her mother passed away when Michele was four years old.

Michele graduated from Logansport High School in 1960, having worked as a library page dur-ing her senior year. Moving to Colorado in 1981, she became employed as a secretary-bookkeeper,

a position she held until she retired in 2005. Michele states, however, the job she enjoyed most was working as an office manager for an organic tomato greenhouse.

Mr. and Mrs. Mehsling were married in 1989 and will be celebrating twenty-four wondrous years of marriage on March 23rd. They are proud parents of their combined five children, seven grandchil-dren and two great-grandchildren with another expected soon.

Michel enjoys crocheting, reading, playing bridge, and bowling. Lee is rewarded by the pride and joy in reviving his 1931 Model-A Ford as a hot rod. He also spends time building model cars, trucks, and construction equipment from cardboard and masking tape. They are valued members of the Sayre Senior Center and are highly admired by the many friends and acquaintances they have gained as respected members of the community.

The Easter Giftby Edward HaysSubmitted by Sister Didyaknow

“One day when a holy man was speaking before a large group of people, someone who was new to his teaching asked him a question. Gesturing to those who surrounded the sage, listening to his every word, the man asked, “Are these people your disciples?” The holy man answered, “No, not all of these are my disciples; they are rather my audience. My disciples are few!”

As we rejoice in the annual celebration of Easter, we consider this story and ask, “Am I a disciple of Jesus?” One answer would be to reflect on how we use the Easter gift given to the disciples by Jesus. This gift is the gift of forgiveness. When we forgive another in the sense of giving the person absolution, we set the person free from the conse-quences of their actions. When absolution is given, unpredictable reactions are no longer present. To absolve someone is to absorb them, their failings, weaknesses—everything. We truly forgive and for-get. This is not only our Easter gift but our Easter assignment as Christ’s disciples. Are we disciples of Jesus or merely His audience? FAITH

Lord of lifeWe pray for all who bring your word of lifeAs a light to those in darknessFor those who bring your word of peaceTo those enslaved by fearFor those who bring your word of loveTo those in need of comfortLord of love and Lord of peaceLord of resurrection lifeBe knownThrough our livesand through your powerChrist the Lord is risen today

TRINIDAD TREASURES

47

Trinidad Treasures Sponsor

Mangino AutomotiveServing Trinidad for over 68 years.1631 E. Main St.Trinidad, CO 81082719.846.3405