What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope
What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope
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Northeast Colorado is home to the plains pocket gopher or Geomys bursarius. Prairie voles or Microtus ochrogaster also find their home in our area. But wait there is one more damaging critter, moles or Scalopus aquaticus spp caryi who live along the Lower South Platte which includes Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Morgan, Washington and Yuma counties. Each one of these critters will leave their mark in a different way. First, plains pocket gophers like to leave mounds and dig tunnels. These are usually found more frequently in sandy and silty...
Writers occasionally develop something called writers block. In cowboy terms that means you can’t think of nuthin’ to say. Different writers do different things to get rid of it. Some go to a bar, others to a mountain top. All seek inspiration. Me? I go to a horse sale. When my brain says to me, “You’ve written about every odd thing you’ve ever seen or heard," it leaves me no choice but to go directly to the source of human oddity, variety and ingenuity ... the local horse auction. There, in...
Republicans must confront the “elephant in the room” — former President Trump’s persistent claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Many Republicans believe him. Most Americans do not. By 2-to-1, independents voters believe the 2020 election was legitimate. Yet they are rapidly souring on President Biden due to soaring energy costs, empty store shelves, under-staffed businesses, rising consumer prices, the border crisis, our Afghanistan humiliation, growing threats from China and the realiza...
Dear Public Utilities Commission, It is my understanding that your office regulates the cost of certain commodities in my state. I also understand that all one must do to get permission to raise rates on those commodities is ask. You get out a rubber stamp marked yes, stamp it on the request, then take the rest of the day off. Since I obviously have a good grasp of how your system works, I have decided to apply to you for an increase in the rate I am charging for my stories. Recently you have...
As people of faith, we like to imagine that there is a template we can engage that represents our best hope and understanding of this divine dance to which we have graciously been invited. Austere organizational structures are embraced so that we can build off the work of our forebears, adding to our present day knowledge as well as contributing to the religious foundations of tomorrow. Some do well with a strict formulaic structure that includes counting numbers as the mandate of the Great...
With the calendar flipping to November and the days continuing to get shorter, more champions are being crowned in many sports. Cross country was the latest to hand out hardware last weekend. Rocky Ford took fourth place in the Class 2A boys state event, with Caden Miller recording a top-10 finish individually. The junior took ninth to lead the Meloneers. Josh Snyder just missed a top-20 performance, as his time of 17:56.30 was three-tenths of a second out of 20th. He was 21st overall. Nate...
I talk a lot about seatbelts and how they save lives and that is true. Using your seatbelt is quite simple, you grab the strap, pull it over you and click the buckle. It makes sure you survive in a crash. But when it comes to securing your little ones in car seats, they are often installed improperly. It’s really no fault of parents that child safety seats are not as secure as they should be. Today’s car seats are complicated. That is why there is help out there for any parents, grandparents or guardians that have young ones that need car sea...
“OK, somebody’s got to be the first to go,” the rancher said to the group of cows and calves milling in front of the gate as he pushed his horse into the herd. Normally, his words meant that one cow, calf in tow, had to go through the gate with the rest taking their cue from her, following out into the small adjoining pasture. The spring ritual was part of the chore of splitting the herd into smaller groups destined for waiting pastures of green grass where they would spend the summer. This year...
There are moments in many of our lives that, upon reflection, lead us to conclude that we simply were in the right place at the right time for whatever transpired. It’s important to distinguish such moments from the rest of the day for they are often what sustain us as we manage this thing called life. Somedays it is an early sunrise or the trill of Sandhill cranes overhead that captures our attention. In other moments it constitutes a chance meeting of old friends or that short chat in the midd...
As the calendar turns to the final full week of October, the fall athletic season nears its conclusion. Another round of State championships are in the books, with softball handing out hardware last weekend. Sterling advanced to the Class 3A semifinals, with Rachel Fehringer tossing her third perfect game of the season in the opening round. The junior struck out six of the 12 batters she faced in a 12-0 defeat of Meeker and also helped herself with four runs knocked in. She finished the season w...
I used to hate when people would say to me like “You’re going to miss this,” “don’t blink,” or “the days are long but the years are short.” I remember a friend saying something along those lines when our middle child was a newborn. I was extremely sleep-deprived, covered in spit up, hadn’t showered in a few days and felt like I was losing my sanity by the hour. Why would anyone miss this? But now, we are at the stage of parenting where the days feel like years and the years feel like seconds...
Calf and Kid. Ever notice they both sound, when pronounced, like both begin with the same letter? Given my spelling prowess (spell check said prowuse was wrong), I may have actually interchanged the first letters on both words a few times. That’s why Sue proofs (profs?) all these stories before you see them. I believe there is a reason that these two words, calf and kid, sound so similar. When you get right down to basics, they are a lot alike. I have always said, “Everything I know about peo...
It can be hard for people to find themselves outside of their accustomed elements. To be removed from the known and cast into the unknown, sometimes with little notice or fanfare, can be, well … challenging. It can come as quite a shock to those who have been protected and safe all their lives. It’s an unforgiving world that eventually will discover a way to intrude upon our well-being. Imagining that drastic change will never happen to us sets the table for tough times when reality comes kno...
Softball postseason took a starring role last week, as regional competitions were held across the State. This weekend will see the state tournaments take the spotlight. Lamar, La Junta, Sterling and Brush all punched their tickets into the Class 3A bracket by winning regional titles over the weekend. Lamar took out Holyoke (11-4) and Montezuma-Cortez (7-1) to win the region hosted by the Savages, while rival La Junta blasted Gunnison (12-1) and The Academy (14-4) to win its region. Brush picked...
Letter to the Editor, Proposition 119, on the ballot in your mail box, creates the Colorado Learning Authority to administer money for tutoring and other out-of-school learning opportunities. On the surface, this proposition looks like a good thing. Dig beneath the surface and you’ll find that it isn’t what it looks like. The brand-new nine-member Colorado Learning Authority, appointed by the Governor, would have absolutely no oversight given by either the State Board of Education or the Colorado Department of Education, according to the 202...
Dear Haxtun Community, I am extremely blessed that I have been able to serve you as the Chief for the Police Department for the last 19 years. During this time, I have watched many children grow and flourish and have seen many wonderful changes for the town. I have shed tears with many families and have helped people in their greatest time of need. This is an amazing community, one that pulls together when things get tough and one that supports one another during difficult times. This has always made me extremely proud to call this my...
Much is said about the family ranch and the family farm. Those reassuring words “the family ranch” describe a future for our industry. There is another segment of the cattle industry where family means a lot. The family owned and operated livestock auction also conjures up thoughts of generation after generation continuing the family tradition. Across the country there are livestock auctions where son has followed father in the business. Amid the noise and bustle of cattle being unloaded, sor...
The heart of fall is upon us. It is easy to spot because it is characterized by the grand entrance of varieties of colors. The colors have been there all along, the chlorophyll of the plants masking the vibrant hues within the leaves. When cooler temperatures and fewer daylight hours are present, the chlorophyll cells die and fall color becomes a certainty. Another sure sign of fall is found in textures and colors as they blend with one another. For a brief period the greens from summer and the...
Pumpkins It’s that time of year again. Time to harvest the pumpkins. Each variety has its own date of maturity. Hopefully, you noted that date on your calendar to help give you an idea of when your pumpkins might be ready. When the stems are dry and the rind hardens are the physical clues to knowing your pumpkin is ready to be cut from the vine. Remember that date of maturity includes the germination time when the seedling starts sending up a shoot and a root develops. Here are a few different varieties: Baby Boo — 95 days to maturity. Hyb...
The first State champions of the new school year were crowned last week, as boys golf held its championships early last week. Softball is entering its postseason later this week and is less than two weeks away from its final event of the season. Every other sport is gearing up for the home stretch of the regular season. With two top-10 finishers, Sterling ended the Class 3A golf season in a tie for third place with Vail Mountain last week. Jace Wright shot a 148 over the two days to end up in a...
Why can’t everything go right at the same time just once? This cattle business gets kind of frustrating sometimes. Here we are with the best cattle prices for quite awhile. Good old supply and demand seems to be in our favor. Grain is a little cheaper these days so feeders could justify higher cattle with less expensive gains. Just as it looked like we had it made, we hit a snag. Drought around the country has kind of knocked the props out from under the cattle business momentarily. The fear o...
A taste of fall is in the air. The last several days have ushered in cooler air and a freshness that says early autumn has arrived. The gardens have also responded by offering up fall blooms that have been patiently waiting to cue up. It is a hopeful time of year that brings with it its own unique flavors to tease the senses. It’s easy to miss these initial hints of fall when lives are busy. Many of us can attest to various jobs in our past where being indoors for work most of the day left us d...
The calendar just flipped to October and the first championships of the fall season were slated to be awarded this week. Boys golf played its opening round of state on Monday, with hardware being handed out after Tuesday's second round. Sterling will have a chance to compete for the Class 3A team title, as the Tigers had four golfers qualify for the event. Dylan DiOrio, Ryder McConnell, Tayleb Schaefer and Jace Wright will represent the Tigers in the meet. Damien Baca (Las Animas), Ty Dirks...
Letter to the Editor, Congress — don’t give the IRS access to consumers’ bank accounts. Credit unions and banks across the country are jointly opposed to an item being considered as part of the proposed $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill. The bill may include a provision requiring credit unions and banks report to the IRS the account transactions (deposits or withdrawals) of accounts that hold more than $600. What does this mean for you, the consumer? An invasion of your privacy and potential additional taxes. This proposed fishing exped...
Road signs. There must be millions of them. No matter whether a simple county road, state highway or Interstate, the roads are lined with them. Their purpose, of course, is to give directions, speed limits, except on the Interstates where everybody ignores those signs and much more. Unknown to most, however, are other uses various folks have for them. A past World Champion Livestock Auctioneer friend of mine is said to have taught himself to sell by rattling off his chant and taking imaginary...
