Trinidad history museums to open Friday
Trinidad- The landmark historic attractions, the Baca House, Bloom Mansion, Santa Fe Trail Museum and Baca-Bloom Heritage Gardens will open for the season Fri. May 1. They are located at 312 E. Main St. in Trinidad.
Hours are 10 to 4 Monday through Saturday (closed on Sundays and on state holidays). The complex will be open through Sept. 30, 2009.
Pinon Canyon Expansion opposition letters and calls needed
HUERFANO- Our elected representatives have put out a call for letters from residents of the Pueblo and Colo Springs area who oppose the Pinon Canyon expansion. We need to show that there is opposition to the expansion outside of Southeastern Colorado.
Send a note by mail or e-mail or call and leave a message at Rep. Wes McKinley’s office. Make sure to include your name, where you′re from and that you oppose the Pinon Canyon expansion.
Representative Wes McKinley, State Capitol, 200 East Colfax, Denver CO 80203.
wesmckinley@gmail.com
303-866-2398
PCEOC also needs help this Saturday May 2. Rep. Sal Pace will debate HB1317 on Jeff Crank’s KVOR AM 740 radio talk show between 8 and 8:30 am. HB 1317 is aimed at stopping the Pinon Canyon expansion, and is now making its way through the state Senate. Crank opposes the bill, so callers are needed to prove citizens want to stop the expansion of Pinon Canyon.
Knights of Columbus-Charity Dinner Dance
WALSENBURG- The Knights of Columbus will sponsor their Annual Charity Dinner Dance on Sunday May 3rd at the Community Center in Walsenburg. The dinner includes BBQ Chicken, chili, desserts and more. Music will be provided by Oress and Ernie De Herrera and Louis “Squeaky” Martinez. Dancing for all ages, including polkas and waltzes. Please join us for this event that supports our local charity needs. Donations-$10 for Adults, $5 for ages 4-12, under 4 years – free.
Brownfields
WALSENBURG- Colorado Brownfields Foundation is presenting a workshop on Mon. May 4, from 5 to 8:30 pm, at the community center. Brownfields are old sites that are environmentally degraded due to contamination from old gas storage tanks, dry cleaning fluid, or industrial chemicals. Some “stimulus money” may be available for brownfield clean-up. Jesse Silverstein, Executive Director, has organized a fantastic lineup of topics and presenters for this meeting. Topics include : basic information on brownfields, property valuations and real estate due diligence; problems associated with gas stations & dry cleaners; regulatory requirements and environmental liability; an overview of the cleanup process, and how to pay for it. Realtors can earn 3 hours of continuing ed. credit. Registration is $20 ($10 for students), which covers workshop materials and dinner.
It’s sure to be an informative meeting. If you own a brownfield property, please plan on attending. You might leave with some future options that can add value to your property.
For questions, or to pre-register, call (303) 962-0941.
Genetics counselor to speak
WALSENBURG- Kate Crow, Certified Genetics Counselor from Penrose Cancer Center is scheduled to speak in Walsenburg. Ms. Crow will be discussing genetics and their health effects on the family. The discussion will be held at the Emanuel Apostolic Assembly, 711 W. 2nd, Walsenburg on Wed. May 6 at 6 pm. For more information, call Mary Anderson, 738-3161.
National Day of Prayer
WALSENBURG– Participate in this year’s National Day of Prayer at the Huerfano County Courthouse next Thurs. May 7 from noon to 1 pm. The theme is Prayer… America’s Hope! based upon Psalm 33:22, which says “May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.” Visit www.NationalDayofPrayer.org to learn more.
Drought management
Canon City- “Range Management for Drought” is the title of an upcoming workshop that will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2009, at the 4-H Building, Fremont County Rodeo/Fairgrounds, Canon City, Colo. Registration will begin at 6 p.m. The workshop will run from 6:30 – 9 p.m.
The workshop will provide the best available science and information about the care and management of rangelands and livestock enterprises.
Topics to be covered include deciding to buy, sell, or maintain livestock, grazing management during drought, alternative feeds and nutrition, maintaining herd condition and health, and rangeland monitoring. A follow-up field day, which has not been scheduled as of yet, will be held to demonstrate practical range monitoring techniques, rangeland health, and plant response to grazing. Tim Steffens, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) rangeland management specialist, Jeff Tranel, Colorado State University Extension (CSUE) agricultural and business management economist, and Marvin Reynolds, CSUE director, will be the featured speakers.
Interested individuals need to RSVP to the Fremont Conservation District (CD)/NRCS office at 719-275-4465 ext. 101 or to the CSUE office at 719-276-7390 by Friday, May 8. The cost of the workshop is $5 per person. Included in the cost of the workshop is a resource book that each participant will receive.
Sponsors of the two workshops are the Fremont CD, NRCS, CSUE, Fremont County Cattlemen’s Association, and the Colorado Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative.
For further information, contact Kimberly Diller, NRCS, 719-275-4465 ext. 107.
Sangre de Cristo Hospice holds volunteer training
TRINIDAD- Sangre de Cristo Hospice & Palliative Care announced their two day training for new volunteers in the Southern Colorado area.
Sangre de Cristo Hospice has been providing end of life care to southern Colorado since 1985. In 2005, Sangre de Cristo Hospice started serving Huerfano County and in 2007, coverage began for the Trinidad area as well. “Rural Southern Colorado is an area that desperately needs hospice care and we are happy to provide that service” said Joni Fair, CEO and founder of Sangre de Cristo Hospice.
A lot of people may not realize what a vital role volunteers play in hospice. “We are always in need of volunteers!” Said Deede Lowry, Volunteer Coordinator. “ whether it is sitting with one of our patients while a caregiver goes out to run errands, working a booth at a community event or providing administrative support, our volunteers provide tremendous support to our organization”.
Hospice provides services with a care team for each patient. That includes nurses, CNA’s, social workers, spiritual care workers and volunteers. Hospice is fully covered by Medicaid, Medicare and most private insurances.
The training will be held at Trinidad State Nursing Home on May 15 and 16 from 8:30 to 4:30 pm. Lunch and snacks are provided. For more information, contact Sangre de Cristo Hospice at 738-2588.
Small acreage workshop a success
Walsenburg- Twenty-four people attended the Small Acreage Management Workshop coordinated by the Colorado State University Extension Office, the Upper Huerfano Conservation District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service on April 25.
The workshop was funded in part by a grant from the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, which is a collaborative process of individuals and organizations working to maintain and improve the health, productivity and management of the Nation’s privately owned grazing land. GLCI also strives to increase the awareness of the importance of grazing land resources. The Huerfano County Farm Bureau co-sponsored the workshop.
The objectives of the workshop were: to help landowners better understand their role in proper stewardship of the land; to evaluate the land as to the resources available; and to enable landowners to realize the capabilities and/or limitations of the land. The target audience was new and experienced rural property owners. A post-workshop evaluation found that landowners developed a better understanding of their role in conserving their fragile natural resources.
Workshop topics included: Your new job: Natural Resource Manager; Ranch Country & What it Means to You; Property Assessment; Water Rights & Water Issues; Living with Wildlife; Livestock & Grazing Management; What Can I Do with My Property; Bugs & Weeds to Know About; Landowner Responsibilities; and Code of the West. The speakers included: Jim Conley, CSU Extension; Tony Arnhold, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Art Bobian, Huerfano County Commissioners; Bruce Quintana, Huerfano County Assessors Office; Doug Brgoch, Colorado Division of Water Resources; and Lance Gatlin, Division of Wildlife.
Good management decisions in a constantly changing world are based on sound knowledge and education. As the demands on the land increase, it is important to keep landowners up-to-date about new technology, so they are able to make informed land management decisions.
Stop swine flu
The Las Animas/Huerfano Counties District Health Department have this message for area residents: At this time, while we wait for more information from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we encourage residents to help protect their communities by following these simple practices.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you are sick, please stay home and avoid passing your illness on the someone else.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Throw away the paper towel in a container that will be closed up.
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
Signs that you should contact your doctor:
• A fever greater than 100 degrees.
• Vomiting or diarrhea that has a sudden onset, or turns bloody.
• If you have been in contact with someone who has been sick and then you get sick.
• Call your doctor or the health department before you leave your house.
If you think you are sick, stay home. Call your doctor, the health department or the emergency room before you attempt to go to the office or the hospital.
If you would like any additional information, please call 1-800-232-4636 or go to: www.cdc.gov/swine flu
CO HELP is 1-877-462-2911, or www.cdphe.state.co.us.
Managers’ jobs now open for 2010 Census
Denver- The U.S. Census Bureau’s Denver Regional Office is recruiting managers now for the Pueblo Local Census Office, set to open in the fall of 2009.
Management positions include : Local Census Office Manager – maintains overall responsibilities for the quality and progress of field operations; Assistant Manager, Field Operations – supervises all address listing and data collection activities; Assistant Manager, Recruiting – implements the recruiting plan; Assistant Manager, Quality Assurance – supervises the quality of all field operations; Assistant Manager, Administration – responsible for office administrative activities; Assistant Manager, Technology – responsible for technology functions.
Applicants should be skilled at: supervising, planning, development, managing and handling fast passed operations. Minimum qualifications for all positions require applicants to have U.S. Citizenship, clear the FBI background check and pass a supervisory test.
Those interested should visit the census employment website at www.census.gov/roden/www/2010empl.html for detailed job descriptions and directions on how to apply. Applicants can also call 719-234-0380 to schedule a supervisory test.
