Colorado Central Articles From — February 2003

Essay by Ed Quillen

Politics – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

AS A COLUMNIST for The Denver Post, I get a fair amount of mail, and of that correspondence, a goodly portion begins with something like “You liberals….”

This always gives me pause, since if I’m a political liberal, liberalism is in worse shape than I thought. I’m not good at toeing that line. Just look at the issues. Read the rest of this article

Article by Lynda La Rocca

Leadville – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

ONE-HUNDRED-AND-TWENTY-FIVE years ago, no one could agree on a name for it. Today, no one can agree on a direction for its future. When it comes to Leadville, only one thing seems certain: You can’t keep this place down. And as Leadville celebrates its 125th birthday this month, the “Cloud City” is thumbing its nose at those who say the party’s over. Read the rest of this article

US MUST BRACE FOR A WATER CRISIS, REPORT SAYS

The U.S. must develop a nationwide water plan that details cooperation between governments and regions and is aimed at controlling drought, floods, municipal water supplies and water quality if the nation is to thwart a water crisis, according to a report from the Water Resources Policy Dialogue. Salt Lake Tribune; 1/10 <http://www.headwatersnews.org/stories/redirect.php?id=6304> Read the rest of this article

Column by Hal Walter

Livestock – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH moved on to that high desert in the sky during the Winter Solstice, 2002. After years of caring for Jack in his old age and declining health, I had often wondered how it would end. But I had no idea he was leading me to such a mystical experience. Read the rest of this article

Letter from Ken Yeager

Mountain Life – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

Editors:

Wow, another year gone, lots of exciting things happening in our little part of what used to be heaven. And now, more subdivisions for every part of Central Colorado — more people who want to live in the country, but want the country to have everything they left in the city. Read the rest of this article

Letter from Slim Wolfe

Mountain Life – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

Editors:

Winters are slow here, which is natural and good, but for those of us self-employed in building trades, a bit of December income is advantageous, even if it means a long commute. High-end subdivisions, though, always come as a bit of a culture shock to a low-end desert rat like myself. Big, clumsy, angular, high-ceilinged homes, failing to take advantage of southern exposures, pretentious signs (Sherwood’s Castle, Dun Diggin’ Ranch), spiffy appointments in guest rooms though the kids would probably just as soon stay in town where they can let their hair down. Grandiose entries, huge kitchens, the manifestation of success triumphant: waste. Read the rest of this article

Article by Marcia Darnell

Art – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

TOM COULSON’S WORK is virtually unknown in the San Luis Valley, despite the fact that he’s been producing paintings, large and small, since he moved here almost 30 years ago.

The reason? Real life intervened.

“We moved here from Baltimore in ’76,” he says. “My whole family — parents, five grown kids, and their spouses.” The tribe settled briefly in South Fork, then relocated near Alamosa, where Coulson still lives with his second wife, Genevieve. Read the rest of this article

[amazon-product]1872870848[/amazon-product]Review by Ed Quillen

Corrections – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

The Pain and the Pride – Life inside the Colorado Boot Camp
by Brian P. Block
Published in 2000 by Waterside Press
ISBN1872870848 Read the rest of this article

[amazon-product]1887805044[/amazon-product]Review by Jeanne Englert

Wildfire – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

Fire In the Sky – Colorado’s Missionary Ridge Fire
Published in 2002 by the Durango Herald<
ISBN 1-887805-04-4 Read the rest of this article

Review by Martha Quillen

Poetry – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

Talking Gourds #2 – Edited by Art Goodtimes
Published by Lone Cone Press
No ISBN Read the rest of this article

Article by Steve Voynick

Leadville – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

BACK IN THE 1970s, the Golden Burro Café & Lounge on historic Harrison Avenue in Leadville, Colorado, did a land-office business when the shifts changed at the nearby Climax Mine. I was one of those miners who grabbed a quick meal or a cup of coffee at the Burro before our shifts. When our shifts were finished, we were back at the Burro, this time for a cold beer or two, and to talk about everything that mattered in Leadville in those days, from fishing the high lakes to drawing elk permits and buying new pickups. Mostly we exchanged “Climax talk” about development on the 900 Level, job bids, and how we’d spend our coming paychecks. Read the rest of this article

Essay by Lynda La Rocca

Leadville – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

THE WORDS “limited financial resources” are almost synonymous with Leadville and Lake County these days. Businesses, individuals, and local government alike are scrambling just to make ends meet.

Yet the voices of those who advocate working to improve, promote and preserve what Leadville and Lake County already have are being drowned out by a contingent that continually promotes ideas like building an industrial park, assuming an attitude of, “If you build it, they will come.” This same group tends to dismiss those who oppose their proposals as being against “progress.” Read the rest of this article

Column by George Sibley

Political Economics – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

A READER FROM Whitefish, Montana, took me to task for an inaccuracy in my enthusiastic bashing of private-sector public transportation (December 2002 issue). Specifically, he took issue with my perception about the poor quality of the rails the trains run on, and it turns out that he is right. Checking some more authoritative sources than my own perceptions and word-of-mouth from fellow rail passengers, I’ve learned that the Class I trunk lines in the United States today are in much better shape than they were in the 1970s and 80s, when my perceptions were formed. That doesn’t mean things are great, but I wasn’t giving credit where it’s due, and I apologize to both readers and railroads. Read the rest of this article

Article by Ellen Miller

Water – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

THAT GIANT SLURPING SOUND you’ll be hearing in the next few years will be coming from all of the bootlicking, lobbying, groveling and lawyering going on in order to influence a decision on the Big Straw, a proposed project that would redesign Colorado’s plumbing.

Supporters of the Big Straw, who spoke at an informational meeting on Dec. 10 in Grand Junction, promise that it will do something for everyone. Read the rest of this article

Article by Marcia Darnell

Water – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

WHAT IF THEY GAVE a water summit and everyone came? They’d need a bigger facility, for sure.

About 400 people attended the Jan. 10 water conference in Alamosa, titled “Conservation, Conversation, Problem Solving.” About the same number were turned away for lack of seating (or lack of planning). The crowd was mostly of the farmer/rancher variety, meaning Carson Auditorium was awash in booted, blue-jeaned males. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Corrections – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

The Colorado economy is hurting, and the pain is apparent in the mountains, where counties face lower sales-tax revenues on account of declining tourism, which has causes like drought and wildfires.

At their convention last December in Colorado Springs, county commissioners asked Gov. Bill Owens for help in lowering insurance costs, expanding water storage, and increasing tourism promotion. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

History – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

The first person to write about our part of the world was Juan Bautista de Anza, governor of the Spanish province of New Mexico in 1779. He led a campaign against the Jupe Comanche that summer, which took him north from Santa Fé and over Poncha Pass, then to South Park and the Pueblo area. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

War – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

Executives want their money (and country) back

In our December edition, we told you about locals protesting the war in association with a national peace protest that can be found on the web at www.notinourname.net. But now there’s another anti-war movement — one that we only wish we were qualified for — Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities. Read the rest of this article

Cartoon by Jack Chivvis

Mountain Life – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine Read the rest of this article

Brief by Martha Quillen

Regional Briefs – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

Alamosa Police Investigate Murder/Suicide

An Alamosa woman, Alison Phillips, 27, reportedly killed herself and her three-year-old daughter by intentionally driving off of Wolf Creek Pass on January 2. The woman’s two young sons and 16-year-old cousin, who were also in the car, survived the plunge. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Drought – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazin

If you dress for a shower, then water might fall from the sky?

As our drought progresses, we’ve read about all manner of proposed remedies, ranging from cloud-seeding to water restrictions.

Southern Australia is also suffering from drought, but they’re trying a different approach. To quote from a Dec. 5, 2002, Reuters dispatch: Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Drama – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

1-act plays sought

We buy a fair amount of prose every year, and there are local and regional publications for p Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Great Sand Dunes – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

The Dunes will be listening

If you’ve got anything to say about the general management plan for the expanded Great Sand Dunes National Monument, or even if you’re just curious, you’re invited to some meetings in February. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Politics – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

Last year wasn’t a good one for local tourism, which meant that sales-tax collections were off, which means the City of Salida faces a shrinking budget, and might need some other revenue sources — like requiring $22 building permits for the most minor repairs, and collecting a $1,000 fine for each day of each violation.

That’s one explanation, anyway, for the city’s proposal to adopt the 2000 International Building Code. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Animals – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

Hector, the official tomcat of Colorado Central world headquarters, died Jan. 10 from a lethal injection after incurring end stage renal disease. He was about 17. His birth date is unknown, but it was on a spring day in 1986 that he found Columbine in the alley and adopted her. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Marcia Darnell

San Luis Valley – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

Springs Shift

As of Jan 1, 2004, Valley View Hot Springs, the clothing-optional resort near Crestone, will be under ownership of the Orient Land Trust. Neil and Terry Seitz will continue to manage the resort as employees of OLT. Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Wildlife – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

As almost everyone knows, Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day. Folklore has it that if the critter emerges from his burrow and sees his shadow (which means it’s a sunny day), then there will be six more weeks of winter.

We don’t have groundhogs here, but we do have a close relative: the yellow-bellied marmot, which abides at elevations up to 13,500 feet and typically hibernates from September until April or May. (There’s plenty more about marmots in our July, 2002, edition.) Read the rest of this article

Brief by Central Staff

Media – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

By the time this magazine arrives, Salida’s new community radio station, KHEN, will likely be on the air, although the schedule will be somewhat sporadic at first.

KHEN is an FM station broadcasting at 106.9 mHz and 100 watts, a signal that should reach Poncha Springs and Buena Vista. Read the rest of this article

Comic Strip written by Clint Driscoll and illustrated by Judie Moorhead

Mountain Life – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine Read the rest of this article

Essay by David Feela

Mountain Life – February 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

SOMETIMES IT CAN’T BE HELPED, that long drive across the West, rolling the odometer like a slot machine that promises to pay off with just one more spin. The gas gauge hovers around “half” and it looks like you’ll get there without stopping again in the middle of who knows where. Home is all you think of, the familiar walls, the mattress that remembers the curve of your hip. Read the rest of this article