Column by Hal Walter
Fishing – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
WHEN I WAS a young lad, maybe 8, I watched my mom, single and struggling to make ends meet, take a ballpeen hammer to a glass pig.
Then from this, her actual life savings, she doled out some coins and sent me off on my bike to the store for milk. I left the grocery with the half gallon of milk in a paper sack, rolled the top of the brown bag around the right grip of my handlebars
Sidebar by Martha Quillen
Heavy Meddle – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Once upon a time, when I was twelve or so, I told my grandmother (born circa 1890) that I couldn’t believe what she had lived through. My great-grandmother (who was about forty when my grandmother was born) married soon after the civil war, and my grandma used to talk about that because there was a civil war centennial from 1960-65 — and also because my grandma wanted me to know that her family had been fierce Yankees. (Despite the fact that she was Canadian; apparently some of her relatives had even enlisted in the Michigan militia).
Essay by Martha Quillen
Politics – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
IT’S ME AGAIN, Martha. Usually Ed and I alternate on writing this letter, but we make exceptions if one of us has a major project, or just no time. Last month, I wrote the letter because Ed was finishing his story on RS-2477. And this time I’m writing because last month I inadvertently introduced a topic that inspired Ed.
Letter from Clint Driscoll
Local Politics – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Dear Martha,
I enjoyed your piece on partisanship, and at the risk of being run out of the county I would like to posit a theory, strictly on the academic level, that you did not touch on in your letter. My thesis is this: We are seeing in Chaffee County not so much an increase in ideological partisanship as a shift in the basic power structure. Essentially the political battles up here, despite what some Republicans claim about party-switching Democrats, have pitted Republicans against Republicans. Face it, up here Democrats (like me) are rare as Hump
Letter from Ed & Mary Rogers
Partisanship – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Dear Martha,
We were very taken with your article “We’re All Partisan … and We Should Admit it” in the March 2001 issue of Colorado Central. We were part of the group that worked hard to get a change in the County Commissioner structure, and we’ve also been working hard to save the Cochetopa School Section (640 acres of land owned by the State Land Board) from being traded to a developer.
Letter from Marcia Darnell
Politics – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
To the Editors,
George Sibley’s plan for taxing trophy homes out of existence could easily be adapted for ego vehicles, too. The annual car registration fee could be calculated based on fuel efficiency, emissions, and vehicle size.
Letter from Suzanne Macdonald
Place Names – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Ed and Martha,
I recognize several of the place names in your March 2001 Colorado Central.
However, I seriously doubt that there is a Colorado place name which translates from the Hebrew. For years Cotopaxi was erroneously attributed to Hebrew. Hebrew for (#13) “married woman” would be transliterated as EESHA NAHSUEY or ISHA NASUI depending on what system was used. But I am unaware of any locale with a similar sounding name. I hope you can surprise me by identifying it.
Letter from Virginia M. Simmons
Roadside History – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Editors:
Although Allen Best was partly correct in his assumption that the state’s new historical markers will provide more information (“Better History along the Road,” March 2001), the Colorado Historical Society, which produces the history, and the Colorado Department of Transportation, which now must approve locations for signs, do not always provide the optimal product. Having been involved one way and another with historical markers for about 35 years, I have appreciation and criticism for both the old and the new.
Letter from Andy Burns
Colorado Central – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Editors:
The very first thing I noticed was the superb artwork in “On Mountain Time.”
George Sibley’s “Market Democracy,” seemed radically practical. But I’ll be reading him from an entirely new angle after Kate Mailly’s letter.
Article by Clint Driscoll
Local Artist – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
TO OBSERVE A WORK by Judé Silva is to get lost in the intricacies of the piece and in the reveries it invokes. A stole made of intricately twined red willow and aspen hangs from a horizontal pole — inviting comparison to a Japanese silk kimono. A natural fiber, hand-knotted net gently supports a spray of red willow. Does the artist hope to preserve natural things or to elicit the gentle remembrance of a moment in time?
Review by Gary M. Lindstrom
History – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Summit’s Courthouse: Its Past, Pictures and People
By Susan Donaldson
Published in 2000 by Alpenrose Press
ISBN 0-9701017-0-8
Review by Ed Quillen
History – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
A Pike’s Peak Partnership – The Penroses and the Tutts
by Thomas J. Noel and Cathleen M. Norman
Published in 2000 by University Press of Colorado
ISBN 0-87081-609-8
Review by Martha Quillen
History – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Coal People – Life in Southern Colorado’s Company Towns, 1890 – 1930
by Rick J. Clyne
Published in 1999 by The Colorado Historical Society
ISBN 0-87081-599-7
Sidebar by Ed Quillen
Water Conservancy Districts – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Most sources are indicated in the articles, but for those who are suspicious or curious …
John Wesley Powell’s attitude about agriculture comes from an interview with Clay Jenkinson, now of Reno, Nev. The informal interview was in a saloon after Jenkinson spoke either in Buena Vista or Gunnison — some memories are hazy.
Essay by Ed Quillen
Water Conservancy Districts – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
IT TAKES THOUSANDS of words to explain Colorado water conservancy districts and the mechanics of selecting their directors — that says something about the need for some changes.
So, what about changing the law so that elections are automatic, the way they are in school, fire, or hospital districts?
Sidebar by Ed Quillen
Water Conservancy District – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District
Directors
(Division 1 has the same boundaries as the Cotopaxi R-3 school district; Division 2, Salida district R-32J; Division 3, Buena Vista district R-31; Division 4, Custer County.)
Sidebar by Ed Quillen
Water Conservancy Districts – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Comparing the relative economic contributions of agriculture and tourism is sort of like comparing apples to lift tickets.
But there are some numbers available. According to the 1997 U.S.D.A. Census of Agriculture, total agricultural sales in Chaffee County were $5,097,000 — mostly cattle and calves ($2,543,000), hay ($933,000), and nursery and greenhouse items ($1,083,000).
Sidebar by Ed Quillen
Water Conservancy Districts – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
THE POINT OF HOLDING AN ELECTION for a director of a water conservancy district is presumably to have a public voice in how the district operates.
And it may be that the public is pleased with its traditional operations and policies — both incumbents were easily re-elected in 2000 in the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (where there won’t be an election this year, because no terms expire).
Sidebar by Ed Quillen
Water Conservancy Districts – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Water Conservancy Districts in and near Central Colorado and the San Luis Valley
Article by Ed Quillen
Water Conservancy Districts – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
THE STATE LAW that governs water conservancy districts (CRS 37-45-101 …) sets the procedures for establishing a district — petitions from a specified number of land owners and water users have to be submitted to the district court.
Sidebar by Ed Quillen
Water Conservancy Districts – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
In some ways, water conservancy districts represent part of the vision of John Wesley Powell. He may be best known as the leader of the 1869 expeditions down the canyons of the Colorado River, and in 1868, he was part of the first recorded climb of Long’s Peak.
Article by Ed Quillen
Water Conservancy Districts – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
OUR MYTHOLOGY about “the winning of the West” celebrates the individual homesteader and the resulting family farm or ranch, but the truths of history and geography extend well past the individual.
Article by Ed Quillen
Water Conservancy Districts – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
AS THIS EDITION went to press, it appeared almost certain that there would be a novel election in Chaffee County: one for a director’s seat on the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District, the first such election since the district was formed in 1979.
The district is split into four divisions, corresponding to school districts: Custer County, Western Frémont County (Cotopaxi schools), Northern Chaffee County (Buena Vista), and Southern Chaffee County (Salida).
Column by George Sibley
Mountain Life – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
THE NATURAL GAS PRICES this winter were bad enough. And if you tend to entertain yourself browsing cheerful web sites like “www.dieoff.org,” you realize that this century probably has worse things in store energy-wise than just high prices.
But the real moment of awakening came one cold Sunday morning in December: our gas furnace — the new one installed just last summer — failed to come on. We noticed this when the temperature dropped under 60°.
Brief by Central Staff
Wildlife – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Instead of the birds and the bees, rural landowners should be worrying about the connection between the birds and the bears.
That’s what Mark Lamb of the Colorado Division of Wildlife told the Park County Commissioners at a recent meeting.
Brief by Central Staff
Development – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
When it comes to development patterns, we’re partial to the “New Urbanism,” which is pretty much like the “Old Small-townism,” which can be seen in the mature portions of Salida: narrow streets, apartments over stores, mother-in-law houses along the alleys, and above all, sidewalks and a geography congenial to foot and bicycle travel.
Brief by Jim Stiles
Development – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
One contentious issue in Moab, Utah, is “Cloudrock” — a luxury development atop a mesa overlooking town. It has inspired these observations from Jim Stiles, publisher of the Canyon Country Zephyr there:
Since the Cloudrock development was first introduced to the citizens of Grand County, its promoters have been trying to convince us that the ultra-high-end luxury lodge/condo/home project will add needed revenues to our tax base….
Brief by Central Staff
Literature – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Poetic Opportunities
April is National Poetry Month (don’t ask us who makes such declarations, because if we knew, we’d ask for a “National Support Your Small Regional Monthly Magazine Month”), and so the Book Mine in Leadville is sponsoring a poetry contest.
Brief by Central Staff
Literature – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Just in case you’ve written a one-act play, now there’s a chance to see it staged.
The Crystal Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Westcliffe is holding its third annual one-act play competition for Colorado playwrights.
Five plays will be selected for recognition, and two will receive prizes of $200 each, along with a staged reading at the Jones Theatre in Westcliffe next summer.
Brief by Central Staff
Agriculture – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
American dietary trends are changing, and that should be good economic news for this part of the world.
Although Americans still eat more chicken than beef — 80 pounds per year per capita for chicken, 70 for beef — the demand for beef has risen 6.27% in the past two years, while that for chicken has dropped by 2.59%, according to the University of Missouri.
Brief by Central Staff
Media – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Chaffee County came close to losing its signal from KUNC-FM, a public radio station at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley that comes in at 89.9 mhz.
The problem wasn’t a technical issue with the repeater on Mt. Princeton.
Brief by Central Staff
Politics – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
“Fourteen years ago, I was a pretty good guy. But I’m thinking I’m just as sleazy a politician as there is now.”
So spoke our state senator, Ken Chlouber. The Leadville Republican was talking to Peter Blake, political columnist for the Rocky Mountain News. Blake observed that “No one beats Chlouber for candor.”
Brief by Central Staff
Correction – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine –
In the March edition, a homonym slipped past writer, editor, and proofreader: “bridal path” instead of “bridle path” on page 27 in the article about the controversy over RS-2477 rights-of-way.
Brief by Central Staff
Colorado Lore – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
The March quiz about place names from other languages provoked a few responses, and most of them got most of the answers right.
Our official answers (“official” can mean “used in an office,” so it fits, even if nobody here holds any office):
1. Exit or Gateway (Spanish): Salida. We liked the “Dead End” signs in Puerto Rico, which say “Calle Sin Salida,” or “Street without exit.”
Brief by Clint Driscoll
Development – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Beginning on May 25, Chaffee County will be serenaded by cowboys singing under the stars at the foot of Mount Princeton. That prediction comes from Michael Martin Murphey, known by older listeners as the Cosmic Cowboy and by many Coloradans as the host of Westfest.
Comic Strip by Clint Driscoll and Sweet Pea
Mountain Life – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
Essay by Michelle Nijhuis
Mountain Life – April 2001 – Colorado Central Magazine
“Avalanche school?” asked my mother, a nervous note sounding through the phone line. “Why do you need to learn about avalanches?”
I felt like I was back in high school, earnestly trying to explain why I absolutely needed to go to that all-night party in the next town. Everybody needs to learn about avalanches, I said. It’s just what people do around here.
SNOWPACK CONDITIONS
Snowpack in Colorado remains mostly the same as last month with some improvement recorded in the South Platte Basin.
The figures are based on snow/water equivalent of average: Gunnison, 83%; Upper Colorado, 84%, South Platte, 84%; Laramie/North Platte, 79%; Yampa/White, 83%; Arkansas, 92%; Upper Rio Grande, 108%; and San Miguel/Dolores/Animas/San Juan, 96%. The Western States Water Council is asking the Administration to request almost $12 million in FY 2002 to maintain the NRCS’s Snow Survey and Water Supply Program. The USGS is spending about $14 million to maintain its cost-shared Streamgaging Network. The satellite telemetry component of this program provides instream flow data as well as advanced flood warnings.