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Briefs for May 27, 2010

End of School Dance

WALSENBURG-   La Plaza de los Leones Youth Auxiliary is hosting an end of school dance on Thurs. May 27 at the Eagles Hall from 7-11 pm.  Music will be provided by DJ Cardo, and it is open to all incoming 7th – 12th graders.  No In & Out, and concessions will be available.  All proceeds go to La Plaza Youth Auxiliary Scholarship Fund. 

Play ball and help La Plaza fund scholarships

WALSENBURG- The Youth Auxiliary of La Plaza de los Leones, Inc. will be running the concession stand starting today for softball season at Fiesta Park!  All proceeds go the La Plaza Youth Auxiliary Scholarship Fund. Please stop by and support the efforts of these dedicated young men & women!

Economic Development group meets

WALSENBURG- The Huerfano County Economic development, Inc. group will have their meeting  at the Housing Authority, 230 Russell Avenue in Walsenburg at 6 pm Thurs. May 27.  Public invited.

Stringed instrument workshop

WALSENBURG- Keep the Music Alive in Huerfano County.   Workshops for guitar, violin, banjo, piano with collaboration at all levels (beginners, intermediate, advanced) at Spanish Peaks Library, Thurs. May 27 from 5-7 pm.  Bring pad, pencil, pen, instrument.  Bring what you have and take what you need.  Come for teaching, learning, sharing of theory, playing, singing.  For information, contact bkalish39@yahoo.com or call 719-738-1154.

 Lathrop Park programs Memorial Weekend May 28, 29, 30

• Fri. May 28, 8:30 pm – A Brief History of Huerfano County,  Jon Sudar local history buff and volunteer interpreter, will take us on a journey back in time to look into the history of Huerfano County, especially its communities and Lathrop State Park. He will take us back to the first people known to visit the area, the Native Americans, the Spanish explorers, and the first settlers, and he will review economic development in the county with emphasis on the rise and fall of coal mining. 

• Sat. May 29, 9 am – Hike the Hogback Trail!   Join local nature enthusiast and retired Grand Canyon NP Ranger Jon Sudar for a morning hike. Enjoy learning about the local unique scenery of the area, as well as the local flora and fauna. This hike will take approximately 2 hours.  Make sure to bring sunscreen, water, and hiking shoes/boots. The hike will be meeting at the Hogback Trailhead

• Sat. May 29, 7 pm – Bears and All Other Wild Things.   Bob Holder, a Division of Wildlife Officer, will tell us all about bears, separate fact from fiction on what to do if you encounter a wild animal, and show us various skins, furs, antlers and skulls for a hands-on experience!  Bob was once named “U.S. Wildlife Conservation Officer of the Year.”  This event would be a great way to get the kids interested in all wild things!

• Sun. May 30, 7 pm – Birds of Prey.    Diana Miller of the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo will be here to show and tell us all about raptors and birds of prey. Diana will be sharing with us just what makes these birds the great hunters they are:  the way they fly, the tools they use, and their amazing eye sight. Diana will also be bringing down some of these magnificent birds to show all of us up close how spectacular they really are. This is a program not to be missed!

VFC 2nd annual yard sale Items from three counties

COLORADO CITY- The Sangre de Cristo Volunteers for Change will hold its second annual yard sale on Memorial Day weekend:  Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 8 am to 5 pm at the Southern Colorado Realtor Estate Brokers parking lot, 6766 Highway 165, in Colorado City.  If you’d like to help with this major fundraiser for VFC projects or if you have  items you’d like to donate, please call Susan at 719-676-4493 or 719-250-6097.  Donations are tax-deductible.  We especially need help very early Friday morning transporting items to the sale.   There will be something for everyone:  furniture, a snowplow blade, collectibles, clothing, books, toys, household items, tools, a two-person hammock,  DIY items, Christmas decorations, all at bargain yard-sale prices.   Please stop by and take home a great find!

Photography awards to be presented

LA VETA- The Spanish Peaks Arts Council invites everyone to the opening reception for the 2010 Photography Show this Sat. May 29, from 5 – 7 pm. Show judge La Veta photographer Carol Putnam will be on hand to discuss the qualities of the winning photographs. Photographers from throughout southern Colorado are represented in this distinctive collection. Refreshments are provided and there is no admission fee.

    Winners in the show are as follows:

• Color category: 1st place,  Paul J. Foster of Centennial; 2nd place, Michelle Goodall, Trinidad; 3rd place, Sandy Marshall, La Veta.

• Black and white category: 1st place, Bryan Briscoe-Smith, Colorado Springs; 2nd place, Kenny Schneider, La Veta; 3rd place, Bryan Briscoe-Smith, Colorado Springs

• Altered photography: 1st place, Walter Ray Jones, La Junta; 2nd place, Pat Newell, Denver; 3rd place, Tim Murphy, La Veta.

     The SPACe Gallery, 132 W. Ryus, will begin summer hours after Memorial Day. Hours will be Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 am to 3 pm and Sundays, Noon to 4 pm. The gallery will also be open this Sunday and Monday from noon to 4 pm.  Visit the SPACe website, SpanishPeaksArts.org for information.

Benefit bake sale

WALSENBURG– Huerfano Cat Coalition invites you to check out all the yummy baked goods at our Bake Sale this Sat. May 29 from 9 am to 1 pm at the El Mocajete burrito stand (next to Safeway) if weather  permits.  If the wind is blowing or it is snowing, please look for announcements for indoor location.  All proceeds from the bake sale will go towards spaying and neutering cats in Huerfano County.  The next Cat Coalition meeting will be on Sun. June 27 at 3:15 in the Community Center.  For more information about the Cat Coalition, please call 738-3167.

Bennet campaigning in La Veta

LA VETA- The Huerfano County Democratic Party is pleased to announce that Michael Bennet, Colorado’s junior United States Senator, will be hosting a Memorial Weekend Buffet on Sun. May 30 at the Parkside Gallery on West Ryus Avenue in La Veta.  The festivities will begin around 4 pm.  Senator Bennet wants to meet local active Democrats and learn more about our critical issues and concerns.  This event is being sponsored by the Bennet campaign as a way to thank our community for our historically strong support for Democratic Party ideals.  Most Americans never get a chance to meet their U.S. Senator face to face and one on one.  Let′s do what we can to show Senator Bennet that Huerfano County cares about our political world and takes an active part.  He is one of our highest ranking Federal officials and will be our Senator for many months or years to come.  Besides he′s a really nice guy.   For more information please call David Gnaizda at 746-2425.

Teen read kickoff

LA VETA-  A Teen Summer Reading Kickoff Party at the La Veta Public Library happens next Tuesday, June 1, at 4 pm at the library.   Making Waves in Our Community is the theme for La Veta Public Library’s Teen Summer reading program.  Teens ages 12 to 18  who read 10 books over the summer are eligible to WIN GREAT PRIZES!!! Call the library at 742-3572 for more information.

Rodeo Bible CampLa Veta event’s 19th anniversary

LA VETA- The Rodeo Bible Camp will be held June 5-8  for ages 12-19.  Participants will practice shooting sports including rifle and archery and rodeo events including horsemanship, bareback, saddlebronc, bull riding, barrels, poles, goat tying, breakaway, team roping, calf roping, chute dogging. $150 includes instruction & home cooked meals.  Campers stay on 4-H ground facilities.  There are boy and girl trophy saddles, buckles… lots of prizes, chapel and games.  This year we plan on a hayride/campfire cookout and chapel under the stars.  It′s a great place to learn to ride, try a new event,  practice up before finals for everyone from beginners to experienced rodeo champions.

    The purpose of this Rodeo Bible Camp is to provide a quality rodeo school within a Christian environment to fulfill the mission of turning cowboys and cowgirls who need Christ into those who know Christ and those who know Him into fully devoted followers of Him.

    Refining skills in the sport of rodeo can be grueling and often expensive.  Young rodeo hopefuls often travel miles on end and spend significant amounts of money on rodeo entry fees trying to gain the experience needed to go to the next level of competition.  Analytical instruction on the finer points of technique in an event is often unavailable, inconsistent or too expensive for contestants.  At $150, less than half the price of a commercial rodeo school, LaVeta′s RBC provides an alternative for those who want to learn rodeo, from the serious High School or Little Britches competitor to those who just need to find out if rodeo is for them.  Located in Southern Colorado, our students are typically from a five state area, and many of them make LaVeta RBC a yearly event.

    Top notch PRCA and amateur rodeo competitors provide one-on-one instruction, identify the students’ strengths and weaknesses, and devise strategies to help them improve performance in their event.  The entire staff is put together by people who know and understand rodeo.  Safety is at the top of the priority list and rough stock is selected with the skill level of the rider in mind.  There is always plenty of stock to rope and ride and time to work on particular skills.  Practice runs are video taped to allow instructor and student to get the most from every run or ride.

    The registration deadline has actually passed , but we are still taking registrations at www.lavetarbc.com

Highway 12 road work moved to early June

HUERFANO– The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is rescheduling its State Highway 12 chip sealing operation until next week.  Road oil slated for the project did not meet CDOT standards so maintenance crews need to postpone the work until the higher grade of oil is delivered.

    CDOT now will chip seal a five-mile segment of State Highway 12, between La Veta and Cucharas Pass, on Tues. June 2, and Wed. June 3, between 7 am and 6 pm.  Drivers should be prepared for 15 minute traffic stops as flaggers alternate northbound and southbound traffic through the work zone.  The project begins just south of Cuchara and will proceed north to mile 11, about five miles south of La Veta.

    CDOT is advising motorists to observe the reduced speed limits posted through the project area due to the small, loose rocks prevalent in chip seal resurfacing areas.  Sweepers also will be in operation during work hours and continuing, if necessary, after chip sealing is completed.  Drivers also are reminded to please Slow for the Cone Zone, stay alert and pay attention to and obey all work zone/advisory signs and flaggers.

    Road, weather and construction information is available at www.cotrip.org or by calling 511.

1st Annual Huerfano County Historic Tour and Poker Run

HUERFANO- Like many Rocky Mountain towns, small communities in Huerfano County boomed when coal was discovered and mining ensued.  Participate in this fun event, which takes you on a drive through Huerfano County and discover its rich history and spectacular beauty.

    Pile the family in the car or grab your helmet, motorcycle and a few friends and head to Walsenburg on Sat. June 5 to sign up for the event between 8 am and 2 pm.  You’ll receive admittance to three museums, be thrilled with awesome scenery, learn a little of our history and be eligible to win hundreds of dollars in prizes!

    The event is held in conjunction with the annual Black Diamond Jubilee festival which honors our coal mining history and is a fundraiser for the Huerfano County Chamber of Commerce.  For more information please call (719) 251-6200 or just show up on June 5!

Fishing Tournament

STONEWALL- The14th Annual Stonewall Fire District Auxillary Fishing tournament will be held  June 5 at Monument Lake Resort. No boats are allowed for this tournament.   Bait will be available.  Each participant will be entered  in a Special Drawing for $1000!

    Registration begins at 7am with orientation at 8 am.  Fishing starts at 9 am ends at 3 pm.  The adult fee is $20, youth (under 16) is $15.  There will be cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place in Men, Women & Youth divisions.  No fishing license required on this day!  For information call  719-868-2249 or go to www.stonewallfire.us.  For lodging information, go to www.monumentlakeresort.com

Annual FFA convention

CRAIG- Over 1200 FFA Members, instructors, parents and sponsors will attend the 82nd Annual Colorado FFA Convention in Craig, CO June 8-10.  During the convention the members will shape the future of the organization by voting on bylaw changes, competing in various speaking contests, and receiving award recognition in over thirty different areas.  FFA members will be presented over $60,000 in scholarships and award money during the three-day event.

    Members will be motivated and called to action through the inspiring words of all ten state officers, motivational speakers Josh Sundquist, Craig Conrad, Commissioner of Agriculture John Stulp, and National FFA Secretary Bethany Bohenblust.  The new officers for the year will also be elected.

    All of the convention sessions will be streamed live online at the following website: www.network1sports.com/schools/BRIGGSDALE.asp

    Interviews with award winners, follow ups, and member reactions can be found live at:

www.network1sports.com/schools/limon.asp

     All of the order forms, convention details, schedules, list of convention sponsors, and live steaming links can be found at www.coloradoffafoundtion.org. For more information, visit www.coloradoffa.org

4-H conference, talent and animal check in

HUERFANO- The 4-H Conference will be held in Fort Collins, June 22-24, 2010.  The annual talent show will be June 10, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at the 4-H barn in La Veta.  Small animal check in is June 5, 2010 from 9-12, at the 4-H barn.

    Next meeting will be June 14, 2010.

NRCS urges landowners:Sign up now for Conservation Stewardship

LAKEWOOD- The Colorado Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) invites landowners to apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The deadline to be considered for the next ranking and funding period is June 11.

    Authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, CSP offers payments to producers who maintain a high level of conservation on their land and who agree to adopt higher levels of stewardship.  Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, rangeland and non-industrial forestland.

    Tim Carney, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, Colorado NRCS said, “Voluntary participation by private landowners is an essential part of our effort to improve soil and water quality." CSP offers payments for adding, maintaining and managing conservation practices.

    Under the interim final rule published July 29, 2009, eligible producers may submit an application to enroll eligible land in CSP on a continuous basis. Producers should apply for CSP now to ensure being considered during the next funding and ranking period. They can also make their final decision to participate in the program once the CSP final rule is issued, which will establish the policies and procedures for the program.

    Potential applicants are encouraged to use the CSP self-screening checklist to determine if the new program is suitable for their operation.  The checklist is available from local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service offices or on the Colorado NRCS Web site:

www.co.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/CSP/CSP2009/CSP2009.html.

Softball Tourney entries

CENTER- San Juan Classic Softball Tournament June 26 & 27 in Center, CO.  Taking team entries for Men and Co-ed.  Proceeds are for Youth Programs.  Deadline for entry is June 15, 2010.  Contact Jose Zamora 719-850-8646.

Young Americans Center celebrates young Colorado entrepreneurs Business competition offers $250-$1,000 in prize money for  entrepreneurs ages 6-21

DENVER– Young Americans Center for Financial Education www.yacenter.org), is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Denver that teaches important financial and work skills to 40,000 youth every year, is seeking young business owners for the 9th annual Celebration for Young Entrepreneurs.  This unique competition is for entrepreneurs ages 6-21 who own and run a business in Colorado.  Businesses can range from lawn mowing and pet care to jewelry making and photography, and almost everything in between.

     Winners receive $1,000, and finalists receive $250 to be used toward their business or education.  In addition, winners will be paired with a Presenting Mentor– a businessperson from the community who is willing to share business advice and encouragement.

     The deadline to apply is June 18.  A panel of independent judges will review the applications and select one winner and two finalists from each of the following age categories:  ages 6-11, ages 12-14, ages 15-17, ages 18-21.

     Winners, finalists and all applicants will be invited to attend the Celebration for Young Entrepreneurs dinner and awards ceremony on Sept. 23 at Seawell Grand Ballroom in Denver.

     For information or to download an application for the Celebration for Young Entrepreneurs competition, go to www.yacenter.org or call 303-321-2265.

     Young Americans Center for Financial Education is a Denver-based nonprofit dedicated to developing financial literacy in young people, 21 and under.  Learn more at www.yacenter.org or by calling 303-321-2265.

Independence Day Parade entries invited

LA VETA- Participants are invited to march in La Veta’s annual Independence Day Parade, scheduled to take place this year on Sat. July 3, beginning at 11 am.  Lineup begins at 10 am at La Veta High School, at the corner of Highway 12 and Garland Street .

    Trophies will be awarded in four categories: Best Animal Entry, Best Motorized Entry, Best Youth Entry and Best Commercial Entry. 

     There is no charge to enter the parade, but all entrants are requested to pre-register by contacting Julie at 719-989-0890 (please leave a message) or julieafairman@yahoo.com.

     The parade is held annually in conjunction with La Veta’s Art in the Park festival and the Huerfano County Rodeo, a PRCA-sanctioned event.

Haiku Contest

TRINIDAD- History Colorado’s Trinidad History Museum is holding a Haiku competition as part of its “Celebrate Japan!” series.  Celebrate Japan offers fun, family friendly activities about Japanese culture and Japanese American communities in Colorado.  Haiku are short unrhymed poems that capture the essence of a moment.

    Contest Rules:

1.    The theme for the contest is:  History

2.    The Haiku will be judged on how well the poem "records the essence of a moment keenly perceived."

3.     Haiku must be unrhymed and written in three lines:

    Line 1, five syllables

    Line 2, seven syllables

    Line 3, five syllables

4.    There are three age-based contest categories:

    Grades K-5

     Grades 6-9

     Grades 10-Adult

5.    Each person may enter a maximum of five Haiku.  Museum staff and volunteers are not eligible.

6.    Deadline for entries is Friday, July 14, at 4 p.m.

     Mailed or hand-delivered entries should be on 3” X 5” cards with the Haiku on one side and the poet’s name, mailing address, email address, phone number, age (and grade for children) on the other side.  You can bring entries to the Trinidad History Museum Bookstore, 312 E. Main St. or mail them to the Trinidad History Museum, P.O. Box 377, Trinidad, CO 81082.  Entries also can be sent to the museum director at paula.manini@chs.state.co.us with “Haiku” in the subject line.  Also include your name, address, phone number, age, and grade level.

     The winner in each category receives a gift and will read the winning Haiku at the Japanese Lantern Festival at the museum on Sat. Aug. 17. If the poet of the winning poem cannot attend the festival, their poem will be read for them.

    Please call the Trinidad History Museum for additional information about the Haiku contest or the other programs at 719-846-7217.

Cement plant concerns

Building inspector suggests a negotiated move out of Northlands to site near prison WALSENBURG — The Walsenburg City Council convened a special meeting Friday, March

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