Wesley Edwards

Wesley Edwards, a 2012 graduate of Belen High School (Belen, NM), signs a letter of intent to rodeo for Lamar Community College as his father Robert and LCC rodeo coach Fred Sherwood observe. Wesley will pursue an Associate of Applied Science in Horse Training & Management. He is currently fifth in Team Roping – Heading in New Mexico High School Rodeo Association after finishing eighth last year.

This type of eclipse has been described as having a ring of fire around the sun, as the moon blocks our view once the two bodies begin their alignment in outer space.  The sun is about 93 million miles away from earth and the moon is about 248,000 miles.  Portions of Colorado, especially in the Four Corners area will have a better view than we will in the southeast section, but it will still be worth a look for a partial view of a fairly rare occurrence.  It will last just until sunset for our area, around 7:56pm on May 20.

The eclipse will be a world wide event, moving into the western U.S. just north of Eureka, CA and then continuing a southeast slant through Reno, NV, St. George, UT, south of Farmington, New Mexico and right through Albuquerque and over Lubbock, Tx.

Even though the sun will be close to setting, anyone viewing the event should take safety precautions and not stare directly into the sun.  Sunglasses will not provide a person with enough safety to look directly at the sun.

By Russ Baldwin

A Closed Casket Celebration of life for longtime Lamar resident, Patricia Bates, affectionately known to many as Pat, will be held at 10:00 AM Monday May 21, 2012 at the Lamar United Methodist Church.  Reverend Kathy Leathers and Reverend Ramon Robledo will co-officiate the service.   Per Pat’s request there will be no public visitation.

A graveside service for Pat will be held at 4:00PM on Monday, May 21, 2012 at the Fairview Cemetery in Burlington, Colorado; Deacon Norbert Ohnmacht will officiate the graveside service. 

Pat was born on July 12, 1951 in Kinsley, Kansas to Quentin and Lucy (Tholen) Herrmann and passed away following her four year courageous battle with brain cancer on Thursday May 17, 2012 at the Porter Hospice in Centennial, Colorado with her family and extended family by her side at the age of 60. 

She was preceded in death by her father. 

Pat is survived by her husband – Jerry Bates of the family home in Lamar; by her children – Elizabeth (Caleb) Kehrwald of Silverthorne, CO, Brent Bates and Monica Hernandez both of Lamar, her mother; Lucy Herrmann of Kinsley, KS, and grandson; Dylan Kehrwald. She is also survived by her sisters; Dee (Gary) Kaster of Burlington, CO, Mary Beth Herrmann of Larned, KS, and her brother; Mike Herrmann of Kinsley, KS as well as numerous nieces, nephews, other family and a host of friends.  

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Southeast Colorado Cancer Initiative or to the Pat Bates Nursing Scholarship in care of the funeral home office. 

Services for Patricia “Pat” Bates are under the direction of the Peacock Funeral Home.  For additional information and online condolences please visit our website at www.peacockfuneralhome.com

Employers in Colorado added 1,200 nonfarm payroll jobs from March to April for a total of 2,291,800 nonfarm payroll jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 100 and government increased 1,100. 

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate increased one-tenth of one percentage point over the month to 7.9 percent. The increase in the unemployment rate was caused by an increase in the number of unemployed and a decline in the number of people participating in the labor force. The national unemployment rate decreased one tenth of a percentage point over the same period to 8.1 percent. 

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in trade, transportation and utilities, education and health services, and construction.  Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 39,800. Private sector payroll jobs increased 40,200 and government declined 400. The large private sector job gains were in professional business services,   education and health services, and trade, transportation and utilities. The only significant decline in private sector payroll jobs was in information. 

Over the year, the unemployment rate is down one half of a percentage point from 8.4 percent in April 2011. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force increased 10,100, total employment increased 22,200 and the number of unemployed decreased 12,100. The national unemployment rate declined from 9.0 to 8.1 percent from April 2011 to April 2012. 

Here are the unemployment percentages for southeast Colorado Counties: 

                                April 2012            Unemployed     March 2012         April 2011 

Baca                            3.3                          84                           3.7                          3.8
Bent                             7.3                         184                          7.7                          7.4
Kiowa                          3.1                          34                           3.3                          3.8
Kit Carson                  4.5                          204                         4.7                          4.6
Las Animas              10.3                          787                       10.4                          9.4
Crowley                      9.5                          167                          8.8                        10.0
Otero                          8.9                           824                         9.2                          8.9
Prowers                     5.6                           398                          5.8                          5.4

The Prowers County Sheriff’s Office responded to 315 service calls this past April, 2012.  Lamar posted 159, Holly had 37, Wiley had 10 calls for service and there were 100 calls in the county.  Lamar’s breakdown has 40 jail related calls and 19 warrant arrests.  Three calls were for DUI’s, two for drugs and three for traffic accidents.  Holly had one warrant arrest, domestic violence, traffic accident and DUI, as well as two animal problem calls.  There was one drug related call for Wiley, plus one theft and one traffic accident.  The sheriff’s office responded to 14 traffic accidents in the county, four DUIs, four drug related calls, one assault, two thefts and 16 types of animal problems.

Sheriff’s Deputies had six new cases assigned, with 12 cases being cleared.  There were 23 charges stemming from the investigations and 13 investigations are still active.  Deputies issued 31 warning tickets, issued 33 traffic citations and six criminal summonses. 

Deputies charged six people with possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia as a result of separate contacts through April.  They also responded to several locations within the county during the early morning hours of April 27 to monitor tornado activity and provide aid and security for those who were injured and suffered property damage. 

7,609 were screened by security when they entered the county courthouse in April, averaging 362 persons a day.  Security made five arrests on individuals who had warrants for their arrests and were scene entering the Courthouse.  Ten county jail inmates were reported to ICE authorities in April. 

The jail house averaged 43 inmates per day for April.  The number of bookings were up for April 2012, compared to 2011, with 86 men booked this year compared to 54 last April.  Women’s numbers were close with 25 this April and 23 last year.  There have been 465 total bookings, year-to-date in all categories. 

April meals at the jail cost $10,024.32 and inmate medical expenses were $1,678.61.  For April, total expenses are $162,902.72 and year to date figures are $700,179.73.  April revenue is $27,676.65 and year-to-date is $99,473.86.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
  EXTREME NORTHEASTERN BENT COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO…
  PROWERS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST COLORADO…

* UNTIL 200 PM MDT

* AT 108 PM MDT…DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
  CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS IN
  EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  LAMAR…AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
  LAMAR…GRANADA AND BRISTOL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH…
DESTRUCTIVE HAIL…DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR
PROTECTION…MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR
HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DO NOT DRIVE
INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

On Mother’s Day, May 13, my family and went out to Riverside Cemetery to leave some flowers to our loved ones.  Upon arrival, we were very disappointed when we found ourselves having to cut through the weeds and grass just to put our flowers on the gravesites.  While there, we also saw many other families doing the same thing.

Before going to the Riverside Cemetery we had stopped and let some flowers to a loved one at Fairmount Cemetery.  Fairmount was freshly mowed and well kept.  I wonder is there a reason that one cemetery is being cared for and not the other?  My family and I were very disappointed in seeing this. 

I believe we pay our taxes and debts to the city and would love to see that the resting place of our loved ones is treated equal. J I hope that whenever we go to the cemetery again in a couple of weeks, we will at least be able to leave our flowers without having to dig our way thru.  I believe in the past the City of Lamar has done a great job of keeping up with our cemeteries and parks.  I’m not really sure what happened this year. 

From the families of a loved one at Riverside Cemetery. 

Diana Rangel
940-0353
1001 East Oak St.
Lamar

Year-to-Date collections were up 4.28% for City Sales Tax for an improvement of $43,558.72 and Total Sales and Use Tax Collections were up 4.58% for March, showing an increase of $50,763.15 for that period. 

With only two exceptions, the 12 Retail Sales tax revenue categories showed gains in a year to date comparison.  Only furniture stores and grocery store tax revenue indicated a drop, with groceries showing a significant dollar fluctuation over the past three years.   

                                                2010                       2011                       2012 

Auto Parts                           41,238.50             42,718.80             47,549.81
Building Materials           25,084.24             24,996.30             32,399.07
Clothing/Shoes                  10,462.52             10,787.59             11,766.00
C Stores/Gas                      27,813.50             32,310.48             32,517.00
Department Stores         361,220.15           362,420.65           378,885.71
Furniture/Elec.                  10,706.91             11,217.21             10,603.65
Grocery Stores                  86,193.22           103,085.87             91,107.26
Motels                                27,445.48             33,041.63             40,042.00
Liquor Sales/Bars             29,088.00             30,094.00             34,654.00
Manufacturing                    1,096.79               3,253.38                5,558.63
Restaurants                        98,930.95          101,436.56           108,362.79
Other Retail                        15,742.48             16,654.87             16,850.32

Sprint Tower, Substation in Background

The April 27 tornado depleted Lamar Light and Power’s inventory with needed replacements for the electrical distribution system.  Interim Light Plant Superintendent Houssin Hourieh said power was finally restored to the entire service area after 16 hours. 

The tornados knocked down or damaged 16 steel poles, 29 wooden poles, 11 pole mount transformers, 40 cross arms, two circuit closers and a two-way radio repeater.   There were sufficient materials in stock to cover most of the repairs, and the inventory needs to be re-stocked.  The utility board members will be presented several bids for replacement items in the next several weeks. 

Clean up on the damage started almost immediately, with crews from Las Animas, La Junta and Springfield responding that Friday morning to help rebuild lines.  By Friday, May 4, all of the damaged lines were rebuilt and the distribution system was operating on normal feed status.   The City of Lamar’s insurance representative, CIRSA, started conducting a damage assessment on the 27^th, and a claim will be made on the losses.  The Light Plant issued thanks to all the crews from Las Animas, La Junta and Springfield for their assistance during the rebuilding process.  Hourieh said an cost assessment of damaged or destroyed equipment is being conducted, but gave a rough estimate of around $150,000. 

The February 2012 financial report shows a net income of $53,344 factoring in non-operating revenues and expenses against operating revenue of $1,101,218 and costs of $824,657.  Year-to-date net income for the light plant is $311,493.   

The 2012 LUB/ARPA Scholarships have been awarded this year to Laci Pennington from Lamar and Brittney Kemp from McClave.  Pennington’s activities include: FBLA, NHS, 4-H and editor for the Lamar High Chieftain.  Her GPA for high school and college courses is 4.204.  She intends to study Early Childhood Education at UNC Greeley this fall.  Kemp is graduating high school with an Associates of Science from LCC.  She will attend CSU to pursue a career in medicine.  Her class activities included NHS, art and design classes, cheerleading and peer tutoring.  She was also employed at Little People’s Preschool.  The LUB/ARPA scholarship program began in 1999, with each contributing $500.  Three scholarships are usually awarded to students from Lamar, McClave and Wiley. 

Utility board members went into executive session to discuss two matters; legal advice on questions pertaining to Colorado Beef and the Nebraska Municipal Power Pool, and to discuss personnel matters.

By Russ Baldwin

Oscar Riley Presents Donation to Police Chief Gary McCrea

The council approved an agreement for a utility easement for a right of way for water lines which are not located in a public right of way.  The easement agreement from private landowners was needed to build the new line which will provide service to Prowers Medical Center along Kendall Drive.  The installment of new water lines is the fourth phase of a water infrastructure improvement plan initiated by the city several years ago.  The easement property is owned by the Prowers County Hospital District.  Another, smaller section of land was also granted an easement.  The landowners are Lamar Building Material Supply and Guaranty Abstract Company.  This land is needed to accommodate a needed 90 degree bend in the waterline. 

The council approved a contract extension for operation of the concession stand at the Community Building.  The Lamar Savage Booster Club has operated the stand for several years.  The extended contract, according to Leisure Services Director Rick Akers, would have the City of Lamar receive 8% of the net income for the 2012-2013 year.  Akers detailed a concession contract at the Ball Field Complex as requested by the Lamar High School Class of 2014.  The City of Lamar would receive 4% of the net income for the remaining 2012 year.  This was the only bid received, after the city advertised for interested parties. 

A contract for improvement work at the Lamar Municipal Airport was approved by the council.  The airport was initially awarded a $550,485 Federal Grant through the FAA for a portion of an Apron Rehabilitation project.  The original grant included a 95/5% split, which was altered to 90/10.  However CDOT’s Colorado Aeronautics Division agreed to match 7.5% of the City’s 10% match, leaving Lamar’s cost for improvements at $15,291.  The council approved a contract amendment allowing the alteration of the percentages of cost responsibility. 

In other action:

Oscar Riley, from the Lamar Elks Lodge, presented Lamar Police Chief Gary McCrea with a $300 donation from the Elks to be used as part of the purchase price and training for a replacement K9 German Shepherd. 

Jim Larrick Receives Plaque of Service from Roger Stagner

Mayor Roger Stagner and the council joined in a round of applause and show of appreciation to former council member, Jim Larrick for his eight years of service to the community as a member of the City Council.  Stagner presented Larrick with a plaque for his years of service.  Another presentation was made to PCDI Director, Lisa Nolder by Skip Ruedeman, council liaison to PCDI.  Nolder and PCDI were recently recognized by the Economic Development Council of Colorado as the Small Community of the Year award, and Nolder received the “Rookie of the Year” award from the EDCC.

Interim City Administrator Steven Rabe informed the council that Chris Sandoval has been selected from the list of candidates for the position of Superintendent of Water, Wastewater and Stormwater.  Sandoval, who hails from Utah, begins his position with the city May 21, replacing Doug Montgomery.  Rabe also noted that municipal offices will be closed Monday, May 28 for the Memorial Day holiday, and the council meeting was moved to Tuesday, May 29.  No applications have been received by the city for a replacement on the Lamar Community Resource and Senior Center Advisory Board following the passing of member, Ernie Hoffmeister.   The council had advertised the position, but no applications were submitted for consideration.  The council decided to re-advertise the position.  The council also approved a motion for Rabe to enter into negotiations with Honeywell Building Solutions for a preliminary report on the cost of improving the energy systems and some infrastructure in various municipal buildings and the city well field.  Essentially the project is designed to pay for itself through more efficient and lower cost utilities to such areas as the community building, library and municipal complex, water metering systems and wastewater facilities.

Council activities for the evening were under the observation of the Lamar Scout Pack #218.  About 10 scouts were in the audience with scout master Don Steerman.  He said the troop attended the meeting as one of the requirements of attaining their communications badge.

By Russ Baldwin