Hinsdale County | The Silver World Newspaper

Lake City Area Medical Center Staff Welcomes New PA Amanda Fender

preparing to serve an influx of patients this summer.Historically, patient volume increases 67 percent between the months of May and October.LCAMC is happy to announce it is now fully staffed following the addition of PhysicianAssistant Amanda Fender, who began her full-time position in April.Amanda joins two other medical providers, Family Nurse Practitioner Sherry Huisman and Dr. Ann Treisman, who is the Medical Director for the clinic.Now with three medical providers, the medical center is able to extend its operating hours to include Saturdays beginning June 6.Amanda Fender grew up in Alabama and attended Auburn University for her undergraduatestudies in Nutrition. When she visited Colorado as a teenager with her father, she fell in lovewith the mountains. She shares her journey to Lake City and views on patient care in her own words below:“I went to PA School at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions with the goal of living and working in a rural mountain community in Colorado. I have always had a passion for providing healthcare in remote communities and being a part of a tight-knit mountain town.“When my husband and I first came to Lake City to hike 14ers in 2023, we both fell in love. Ifound out Lake City had a health center and made it my goal to eventually be able to live andwork here.” “I love getting to provide medical care to people who share a passion for the beauty of this remote town. I am passionate about providing care to people so that they can continue to do what they love, where they love.”“I value patient-centered care, taking into account the patient’s goals and values. I like approaching care as though the patient and I are on the same team working towards the same goal for the patient and their health. I am looking forward to providing continuity of care for patients, expanding resources in our town, and continuing to learn and grow alongside the incredible staff here at the Lake City Area Medical Center.”“Outside of work, I am a trail runner and skier. I’m looking forward to running in the San Juan Solstice 50 mile race this summer. I am married to my husband, Kamp, and we have twodogs, Mowgli and River.” Fender joins a medical center team that offers: primary and preventative care, in-clinicprocedures, testing and diagnostics, urgent care, and dental care. According to the medical center’s website, the clinic’s team is committed to “serving the community with compassionate, quality healthcare.LCAMC aims to make healthcareaccessible, compassionate, and reliable.Consistent with Fender’s goal of “expanding resources in town.”Fender recently participated in a portable ultrasound training in Colorado Springs. This Butterfly Ultrasound Device is used for Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS), which allows providers to perform rapid imaging without bulky hospital machines. The device, which connects to a cell phone, can assist with quick diagnostics, allowing a trained provider to visualize internal medical problems.Commonly used for trauma assessments, cardiac screening, lung imaging, OBGYN imaging,and bladder scans, the POCUS device expands the capabilities of the medical center to assessand treat patients.In recent months, in collaboration with other healthcare partners, medical center staff have endeavored to expand urgent care preparedness, as required by the clinic’s distinction as a certified Rural Health Center.Dr. Treisman has been collaborating with Dr. Avery Mackenzie — Medical Director for HCEMS and ER doctor at Montrose Memorial Hospital — to strengthen urgent care capabilities and readiness. Staff have participated in several scenario-based training sessions this spring.Storm Gozola, RN, and Rachel Moore, Executive Director and EMT, recently attended aPediatric Preparedness Seminar in Crested Butte. The seminar featured Pediatric Medical Specialists from Children’s Hospital of Colorado and EMS for Children Colorado.The training focused on equipping medical providers to assess and treat children presenting with medical emergencies and included both case reviews and hand-on skills training.Rachel Moore with EMT and Administrative Assistant Sarah DeCristino attended the Colorado Rural Healthcare Conference in April, seeking to learn from similar medical clinics across the state.Melody Crump, EMT and CNA, is soon to complete her training and education as a Registered Nurse.While Lake City Area Medical Center is fully staffed with medical personnel, they do currently seek to hire a janitor. The job offers a flexible schedule and an opportunity to work in adynamic team environment. Clinic staff invites the community to join them in welcoming Amanda Fender to Lake City, in celebrating Melody Crump’s recent completion of her nursing education, and to consider how the local clinic can help meet your medical needs this summerand in the future.Next week’s SILVER WORLD will include an article welcoming a Physical Therapist, now operating out of the medical center building.

May 22, 2026 No Comments

Wiring Determined as Cause Wade’s Addn. Blaze

Last Thursday morning’s destructive Wade’s Addition house fire, reported in last week’s SILVER WORLD, has been determined to be caused by defective electric wiring. According to Lake City Fire Chief Justin Thompson, the determination is the result of an inspection the day following the blaze, Friday, May 15, by Kevin Crawford, an investigator based out of Grand Junction with Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. As reported last week, the Wildflower Cabins’ rental cabin destroyed in the blaze was of older vintage, dating to construction in 1954, with old electric wiring. The cabin was unoccupied at the time and was being readied for summer use, Investigator Crawford determination being that an electric motor seized and caused the fire as the result of a light and ceiling fan which were left on over night. Since our report on the fire last week, SILVER WORLD has learned that an unsung hero assisting in alerting neighbors to the early morning fire on Thursday was Wade’s Addition resident Jim Gowdy. Gowdy, who lives on Park Street within a half block of Wildflower Cabins, apparently sighted the escalating flames from both the cabin and an adjacent spruce tree which caught fire, and dashed across the street to alert neighbors prior to arrival of the fire department. At the across-the-street Rightsell residence, he banged on windows, also alerting residents of the Waddington house which is just across the alleyway from the burning building.

May 22, 2026 No Comments

Dear Editor,

“The NATOPS is written in blood.” That’s a quote a Naval Aviator can recite faster than the ubiquitous “In God We Trust” inscribed on the back of a dollar bill. It is a mantra hammered into our heads more times than the actual Emergency Procedures the NATOPS dictates a pilot memorize.“NATOPS” is one of thousands of acronyms the U.S. military is known for, and there is no greater acronym-maker than the U.S. Navy. “Naval Air Training and Operating ProceduresStandardization” is what NATOPS stands for. It was the result of a giant push by the Navy in the mid-1960s to standardize the way we train and operate Naval aircraft. It accompanied a greater push within the aviation community to adopt similar measures to enhance aviation training and safety. That greater push led to the industry-wide creation of Aviation Safety Programs and the necessary training to implement them, including the famed School of Naval Aviation Safety, of which I am an alumnus. This overall safety push stemmed from decades of military and civilian aviation mishaps resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives and millions of dollars of aircraft and trained pilots. After the successful implementation of programs like NATOPS, aviation mishaps decreased at an exponential rate. The quote “the NATOPS is written in blood” stems from the colloquial use of NATOPS to refer to the operating manual of a Naval aircraft, specifically the limitations and operating parameters that, if operated outside of, will likely lead to death or great bodily injury. Oftentimes, someone quite literally died to find the limit stated in the NATOPS. It is an Aviator’s bible; it defines the Policy, Processes, and Procedures to safely operate a Naval aircraft in the fleet. From it, checklists are created to ensure adherence, and boldface Emergency Procedures arememorized for rapid implementation. There are many ways in which my experience as a Naval Aviator correlates to my experience as a POST Certified Peace Officer in Colorado.“POST” is an acronym for Peace Officer Standards and Training, and is very similar in practice, purpose, and creation to NATOPS. It was created to standardize training and operating parameters in law enforcement. The “Blue Book” is a Peace Officer’s bible. It is a single reference point “operating manual” of sorts for a Colorado Peace Officer. It consists of the most recent—and most important—Colorado Revised Statutes (laws) as well as other information pertaining to Colorado law enforcement. Violation of Colorado or US Federal law by peace officers creates “case law,”further defining parameters under which Law Enforcement operates. From both of these sources, individual agencies create Policy, Processes, and Procedures. Just as the NATOPS is written in blood, law enforcement Policy is derived from case law. My experience at the Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Office led me to observe the agency has very little Policy, Processes, and Procedures, and absolutely zero checklists or required memorized procedures.With no systems and no checks and balances, it does not produce a quality and professional law enforcement product. This lack of professionalism is one facet that led to my resignation.This lack of Policy, Processes, and Procedures within the HCSO directly led to the Rule 16 Discovery Violation exposed in last week’s paper to be the reason the 7th Judicial Assistant District Attorney was forced to plea bargain the Earley case to lesser charges. During my tenure as a Hinsdale Deputy, Rule 16 Discovery Violations were the norm. Frustratedevidence technicians within the 7th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Gunnison began to reach out to me individually with Discovery requests, knowing I would take them seriously and respond in a timely manner.Undertaking these Administrator-level tasks required me to operate well outside the normal scope of practice of a lowly Deputy. Though unnoticed by HCSO Administration, my taking of the initiative in this arena was praised by 7th Judicial DA’s Office personnel who were excited to “finally have an ally” within the HCSO.As Sheriff, I will implement the Policy, Processes, and Procedures of a professional law enforcement agency, as I have been trained to do in now two careers. This is simply one of many ways I will improve the Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Office and once again make the agency something the community can be proud of.In next week’s letter, I will discuss the recent unethical firing of Hinsdale County Sheriff’s OfficeAcademy Cadet Ethan Twamley by the current Sheriff’s Office Administration ten days beforegraduation, as well as debut my campaign website.\ As Captain John Paul Jones infamously stated in 1779, “I have not yet begun to fight.” Dan StrausbaughLieutenant US Navy, (Ret.)Candidate, Hinsdale County Sheriff

May 15, 2026 No Comments

Morning Fire Destroys Wade’s Addition Cabin

Fire of unknown origin has destroyed a log-sided frame rental cabin in Wade’s Addition.The blaze, which also engulfed an adjacent spruce trees, was first called in to Lake City Fire/Rescue firefighters at 1:58 a.m. on Thursday, May14, at which time the cabin — part of an eight- cabin rental complex at Wildflower Cabins — was fully engulfed.Fighting the destructive blaze, according to Lake City Fire Chief Justin Thompson, was made all the more difficult by close proximity of other frame rental units in the resort as well as neighboring homes on Spruce Street, including both the Allison and Zairick Waddington home (former Pat and Jake Jacobs) and Donny and Jen Rightsell’s home across the street on Spruce Street, where residents aided firefighters with water hoses.Also immediately adjacent to the burning cabin and within what Thompson refers to an “exposure containment zone” adding to the challenging conditions was a spruce tree fully ablaze and described as a “giant Roman Candle” by neighbors and three propane tanks which closely abutted the burning structure.Fire Chief Thompson, who arrived on scene at 1:58 a.m., says the fire was contained by 2:15 a.m. Thursday. In addition to fire engines 91 and 93, and tanker 1, also on scene were firefighters Mike Carson, Evan Milski, Mike Ralph, R.E. Hall, Greg Levine, Matt Jones, Jared Fledge, Joel Collins, Rick Hernandez, and Mike Tuttle.Thompson praises fire fighters for their quick and efficient response, saying “they did a spectacular job.”Wildflower Cabins, purchased by Teresa and Robin Wagner — together with Chris and Amy Hoedebeck, who now own Wagon Wheel Resort, in September, 2021, is a popular, 72-year-old resort which has periodically been renamed and remodeled since its original construction in 1954.Coincidentally, this is not the first destructive fire at the resort.Built as a 10 cabin resort by Kline Shaver in 1953 and known as Kline’s Cabin, the resort was totally destroyed by fire in January, 1954.Volunteer firefighters with a single pumper truck were summoned from an evening basketball game in the Armory to the blaze after a loud propane tank explosion was reported in Wade’s Addition.One of the fire fighting volunteers, neighboring property owner Ben Griffiths, was injured when a door was blown off its hinges and he sustained a broken pelvis. The fire was contained but reignited the following morning and entirely destroyed the resort.Undeterred, Kline Shaver quickly rebuilt the resort in time for the start of the 1954 tourist season.The resort has undergone numerous name changes and names in subsequent years, including being renamed Red cloud Resort when owned by E.A. Baldridge, and Westwood Resort during the long proprietorship of Glen and Barbara Lohn.

May 15, 2026 No Comments

New Exhibits Spiffed and Polished for Museum’s Memorial Weekend Opening

In advance of the 51st anniversary of its opening in 1975, Hinsdale County Museum is gearing up for free-admission opening day on Saturday, May 23, marking the start of an exciting summer season.According to Duane Keprta of Kennedy Dry Goods, who has taken over from Karen McClatchie as docent coordinator, the museum will be open limited hours between now and June 15 when the seven-days-per-week schedule begins.For Memorial Weekend, May 23 and 24, Hinsdale County Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday with free admission and Sunday, May 24, 1 to 4 p.m., $10 admission adults and $2. Through June 15, the museum will be open afternoons 1 to 4 p.m.Volunteer docents this season include Karen McClatchie, Sharon Rogers, Chris Moler, Glenn Heumann, Tom Loots, Denny Brannon, Henry and Julie Rothschild, Rene Faires, Alice Attaway and Kristen Lentz, together with subs Mike Harrington, Heidi Hewett, Ed Maas, and Linda Gardiner.In addition to Keprta as docent coordinator, other new museum staffing includes Jake Gumbert who takes the place of Shayla Rightsell as Administrative Coordinator.Gumbert, who previously worked at Crested Butte Ski Area and, in Lake City, assisted at Community Banks of Colorado and manning the aquatic nuisance station at Lake San Cristobal, has already been hard at work solidifying this season’s schedule of events at the county museum.Keynote on the summer schedule is Colorado Day, August 1, marking the return of completely restored Denver & Rio Grande Railroad narrow gauge passenger and freight Car 211.The railroad car regularly serviced Lake City between about 1910 and discontinuation of the Lake City branch of the railroad in 1933. In extremely deteriorated condition, the car was briefly returned to Lake City in 2018 but for the past five years has undergone top-to-bottom extensive restoration by craftsmen at Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Durango, Colorado.Completed at a cost in excess of $400,000, Car 211 returns to Lake City in July and will be formally inaugurated at a 1 p.m. ribbon cutting ceremony on Colorado Day, August 1.Also planned Saturday afternoon, August 1, are tours of the restored railroad car and lectures by museum directors Mette Flynt, Grant Houston, and Glenn Heumann.Coordinated with free museum admission and refreshments served on the museum grounds, Glenn Heumann will detail the comprehensive, multi-year restoration process. Houston and Flynt will speak on the significance of the Lake City Branch of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad — did you know marriage vows were conducted on the halted train July 9, 1892, on Miller Flats for the wedding of Elizabeth Miller and A. Alex Messler or, another interesting fact, that armed guards were employed when individual freight cars with ore from the Golden Fleece Mine valued upwards of $60,000 were sent out from Lake City.The railroad car’s former owner, Don Shank, will also speak on Car 211’s more recent history, including the car’s use on Don Drawers’ short-lived Sundown & Southern Railroad at Fort Lupton, Colorado.Car 211 dedication weekend at Hinsdale County Museum also includes a major fundraiser, return of the popular Victorian Banquet which was a social highlight dating back to the early 1980s when it was started by the late Betsy Cheney at the old 1880 Tea Room in the Hough Block.Updated to 2026, the four-course dinner fundraiser — again with Victorian attire suggested but not required — will be held at newly remodeled Climb Elevated Eatery on Sunday evening, August 2.With wine and appetizers de rigueur, Razvan Armeanca explains that entrees, depending on choice victuals available at the time, will consist of a selection of beef, chicken or fish, together with a vegetarian option, followed by scrumptious dessert.A cash bar will be available for mixed drinks.Ticket price for the society fund replenisher fundraiser is $100 per person, further details anon and reservations in the meantime by calling the museum, 970 944 2050 or via the museum website.Summer, 2026, unveilings of new exhibits at Hinsdale County Museum, include panels custom designed and researched by Mette Flynt commemorating 250th anniversary of the United States and 150th-year anniversary for State of Colorado.Photos on display include a 1976 photo of the late Ruthanna Urankar Hall, with Lake City Mayor Bud McDonald and Bud Weems for Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce, celebrating the state’s 100th birthday in 1976.The Centennial photo is appropriately part of a new display featuring a rolltop executive’s desk willed to the museum by the late Mrs. Hall, topped with an 1870s barbershop back bar which was at one time owned by the late Larry Pavich.Topping the list of new displays at Hinsdale County Museum are a Car 211 display in the Transportation Building highlighting looped video on the Lake City Branch of the D&RG by Gunnison resident Russ Lallier; textiles on manikins feature Selma Benson’s 1915 graduation gown from Lake City High School and formidable 1890s “traveling dress” worn by Lake City matron Severnia Benson.In line with the graduation dress and as a salute to Hinsdale County School District recognizing its 150th anniversary since start in 1876, the museum has gathered an extensive collection of Lake City High School graduation announcements starting with the first 10th Grade announcement in 1898, first 12th Grade graduation in 1901, and working up to announcements in the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s.The museum’s front window display highlights students’ individual slate writing tablets and wrought iron desks dating to the 1870s, together with a wall relief map and high school science equipment dating to the tenures of Prof. G. Franklin Hoff and Prof. H.G. Heath in the 1890s and early 1900s.Also displayed from the museum’s textile collections this summer is Finella Fueller’s 1895 wedding dress when she married ranchman Webster Whinnery at First Presbyterian Church and the ballroom gown worn by Mrs. Whinnery at Governor Peabody’s gubernatorial inauguration in Denver in 1903.A showstopper clearly visible at the museum entrance and installed on the museum’s back wall is a custom-designed and secured, wooden, LED-lit cabinet crafted by Mike Carson containing the Harvey and Katherine DuChene Mineral Collection which is a mesmerizing

May 8, 2026 No Comments

Regular Meetings, Special Sessions Top Busy April for County Board

by Jodi Linsey Hinsdale County Commissioners were kept busy with their regular meetings and special meetings in April, with their regularly scheduled workshops and meetings on April 1 and April 15, and two additional special meetings pertaining to Hinsdale County EMS on April 8 and 14.Since the February 26 dismissal of Amanda Hartman there have been numerous communications from then Chief Paramedic Brad Jones and EMS Director Katherine Heidt to the Commissioners, which resulted in a tense meeting with Heidt on April 8. Jones resignation on April 9, and a contentious special meeting on April 14 with the Commissioners, Director Heidt, Medical Director Avery MacKenzie, and a large audience on Zoom and in person.The first special meeting occurred on April 8, dealing with three updates to Heidt’s job description and duties. Following a reminder from Commissioner Borchers that all employees of Hinsdale County were subject to periodic updates to their job descriptions, Heidt was asked to comment on the revisions regarding her duties.Her only response was to refer them to previously submitted remarks.The other special meeting was held following the resignation of Jones, and the lone agenda item was to discuss Hinsdale County EMS.Commissioners invited Heidt and Medical Director MacKenzie to attend to discuss the reduction of the local EMS service from Advanced Life Support (ALS) to Basic Life Support (BLS). There were no conclusions as to how to move forward from this move.Heidt presented a letter for the consideration of the Commissioners and audience (WORLD, April 17).Due to the uncertainty of Brad Jones’ relationship with Hinsdale County EMS, Commissioners Robert Hurd, Kristie Borchers, and Greg Levine removed him as the Alternate County Representative to the Gunnison Hinsdale Combined Emergency Telephone Service Authority (GHCETSA) at the April 1 meeting.This partnership operates the regional 911 dispatch center for Gunnison and Hinsdale Counties.At the next regular meeting on April 15, Commissioners appointed to the alternate position Undersheriff Jordan Kaminski, newly returned to service at Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Department. In other county news was an update at the April 1 meeting about the All Hazards Team. County Financial Director Lynn McNitt reported that they have wrapped up all of the 2025 accounts and have had three invoices paid thus far in 2026.McNitt also reported the county has received the 2024 distribution of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding, amounting to $159,000, to be split evenly with Hinsdale County School District. These Title I funds are made available through the U.S. Forest Service for the maintenance of roads and schools in counties with large amounts of Federal lands that do not pay property taxes.Good news for fishermen and women ready to take to Lake San Cristobal is confirmation Commissioner Levine has completed training to conduct boat inspections for invasive aquatic species. He plans to fill in when needed, such as during the shoulder seasons when there is not a regular schedule ofPuebloinspectors.A milestone in the creation of an Early Childhood Coalition is the formation of the inaugural Board of Directors. Lily Virden, representing Wee Care; Tara Anderson of Silver Thread Public Health District; Corrine Jaegar representing the Hinsdale/Gunnison Early Childhood Coalition; and Kayla Gowdy, parent of a Wee Care student.Among the other topics addressed at the regular workshop on April 1 was the new State requirement for a Wildfire Resiliency Code, which will be analyzed before adoption. Also presented was a tour of the updated Flood Risk Draft Map presented by Deputy Assessor Sarah Tubbs.Commissioners received a request from County Veterans Affair Officer Mike Harrington to add two men to the Hinsdale County Veteran’s Memorial located in the park by the Courthouse. Edwin ‘Ed’ Nettleton and Francis James ‘Bud’ Weems both served their country and the Lake City community and will have that service enshrined.A potential Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the Town of Lake City and Hinsdale County regarding the efforts to implement the Comprehensive Housing Plan was discussed.In previous discussions between the two entities, it was determined that each would pursue funding to hire a Housing Coordinator to begin implementing the plan, including identifying sustainable funding sources and developing protocols for each aspect of the plan.The IGA under discussion would cover this initial contract and launch of the plan.News from the transfer station is that organic debris, such as brush and tree trimmings, are now less expensive to dispose of, so as to promote fire mitigation by homeowners and contractors. The previous cost was $12.75 per yard and is now $6.35 per yard. This debris will either be chipped on site or will be burned if the conditions allow. Borchers stated that “This is the single most important thing a homeowner can do to protect themselves.”

April 23, 2026 No Comments

County Board Poised for Interim Hire of Delta Paramedic

Hinsdale County Commissioners held a Special Workshop on Tuesday, April 21 to discuss the possibility of contracting with Reuben Farnsworth of Rockstar Education and Consulting to assist Hinsdale County EMS through a transition period following the resignation of Chief Paramedic Brad Jones.Hinsdale Commissioners Kristie Borchers and Robert Hurd attended the meeting in person, Commissioner Greg Levine attending the workshop remotely via Zoom.EMS Director Katherine Heidt was also present in the meeting room, while EMS Medical Director Dr. Avery MacKenzie and Rueben Farnsworth attended virtually. Following introductions, Farnsworth recited an impressive list of qualifications and accomplishments, most relevant to the discussion being his decades of experience working on the Western Slope as a Paramedic and his experience educating Basic and Advanced EMTs.MacKenzie stated she has worked with Farnsworth for many years and seemed pleased the Commissioners were contemplating bringing him in to support the Hinsdale EMS system.Responding to comments and questions from the Board, Farnsworth noted he had already consulted with Heidt about shared priorities, with the number one priority being to make sure Hinsdale County has good solid coverage over the upcoming summer season.He went on to talk about ideas to get the current EMT students on the verge of graduating the practical experience they need to qualify for their certification.Farnsworth indicated he is contemplating how to grow relationships with regional partners and develop some type of paramedic sharing program that could benefit a number of the smaller systems in the mountain region. The first order of business, he said, is to move Hinsdale from BLS (Basic Life Support) to ALS (Advanced Life Support) as quickly as possible.Commissioners and MacKenzie went back and forth with ideas as to the scope of work they will want from Farnsworth but left much to be hammered out in Executive Session on Wednesday, April 22, including compensation.In the early afternoon special meeting and workshop on April 22, following the board’s regular meeting in the morning, Commissioners hosted Farnsworth in person during an executive session held for the purposes of negotiation.Before adjourning the meeting, Borchers announced there will be another special meeting commencing 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 29, to review the potential contract.

April 23, 2026 No Comments

Historic Preservation Commission Welcomes History Colorado Rep., Approves Four COAs

Joining the April 7 Historic Preservation Commission meeting was Dr. Lindsey Flewelling, Preservation Planner and Certified Local Government Coordinator from History Colorado. Dr. Flewelling was in attendance to evaluate Lake City’s adherence to its Certified Local Government Agreement with the state of Colorado, which is done every four years.This agreement evaluates how well Lake City is managing its National Historic District and to determine if the Town is adhering to its Historic Preservation Ordinance, which falls under the responsibility of Lake City’s Historic Preservation Commission and Town of Lake City staff.Passing this evaluation keeps the Town of Lake City eligible for state grants and tax credits that can be applied toward preservation of historic buildings in Lake City, such as the County Courthouse, the Hough Building and Hinsdale County Museum – all of which have received state historic fund grants in the past for restoration and other projects.Facing a hefty agenda April 7, Chair Joe Fox got directly down to business with the first item on the agenda, Certificate of Approval (COA) 2026-04, which concerned 220 N Gunnison Avenue, Piltingrud’s Lone Pine Apartments, where renovations have been ongoing for some time and multiple windows have been replaced.The subcommittee handling this matter were Fox and Commission member Jared Boyd. Boyd began the conversation by explaining the building was built in 1953 by Joel Swank, and is considered to be non-contributing to the Historic District, mainly because the exterior has been altered so drastically since it was built. Boyd went on to explain that new windows were being installed on the north and south sides of the building, including an egress window on the new apartment bedroom under construction. He also explained that a wood trim was going to be added to the egress windows.Boyd’s recommendation was to approve as proposed, which was echoed by the rest of the Commission members. Fox said that he appreciated the education earned from this case, as far as how the commission should handle these kinds of non-contributing buildings, with Flewelling noting that if a building is contributing, best practice is for property owners not to alter the exterior appearance in order to maintain contributing status.Newly purchased Lake City Brewing Company building at 130 A Bluff Street was next on the agenda, where new owners Justin Lamothe, Brennan Pantleo and Kaylin Trivisonno are requesting a new door on the south exterior wall as well as a deck below the door. Subcommittee members for this project wereHistoric Preservation Commission Welcomes History Colorado Rep., Approves Four COAsJud Hollingsworth and Mike Coffin. Hollingsworth said he and Coffin met with Lamothe, Pantleo and Trivisonno, and that their drawings had been sent to all Commission members. Neither Hollingsworth nor Coffin had any problem with the project, nor any comments to make, and COA 2026-05 passed unanimously.The next property on the agenda, 415 Henson Street, has been involved in an ongoing conversation between the Commission and property owners Derrick and Leah Wright, who originally wanted to add onto the McDonald “Rock House,” a distinctly unique structure built between 1950 and 1952 by Dallas-based doctor William Drury McDonald and wife, Viola, which includes a detached, gabled privy at the back of the lots.The original plan to add a massive addition onto the back of the Rock House was rejected by the Commission, especially after Commission members took the construction drawing to the Saving Places Conference in Denver earlier this year, and were told unanimously by every expert they consulted with, that the add-on was exactly the kind of thing Historic Preservation Commissions needed to veto.The Wrights decided instead that they would section the property into two lots, and Fox explained, along with subcommittee member Jared Boyd, that a separate, new building will be constructed instead of an addition, and that efforts would also be made to preserve the historic Rock House building left free-standing. COA 2026-06 passed unanimously, with Fox thanking the Wrights for “going through all of this.”Finally, adjustments to a 3-foot fence at the Assenheimer property on Gunnison Avenue, a non-contributing property. Requested was a small change to the top finials of the picket fence to match the fence at the back of the property. This matter also passed unanimously.Fox explained that he will sign each COA application, which will then be sent to the property owners to sign, then onto County Building Inspector Gabe McNeese.In old/new business, Fox gave an update on the reorganization of the architectural surveys for properties listed in the Historic District. Fox explained that their website domain name was lost years ago due to the departure of a Town Manager, and that reports held at Town Offices needed to be scanned and posted with photographs to get all Historic District properties online again, and that this is a project Fox and the Commission are currently handling.

April 16, 2026 No Comments

Reverberations from Resignation EMS Paramedic Brad Jones

Turmoil in Hinsdale County’s Emergency Medical Service culminated last Thursday, April 9, with strongly-worded letters and social media post from Chief Paramedic Brad Jones announcing his resignation effective immediately.Jones, who worked with Hinsdale EMS for 5.5 years, starting with a volunteer position in 2020, was a well-known seasonal presence in Lake City who worked hand-in-hand with the local corps of Emergency Medical Technicians. He also worked closely with EMS Director Katherine Heidt and Western Slope Regional Medical Director Dr. Avery MacKenzie.As an extension of Dr. MacKenzie’s credentials, Hinsdale EMTs are allowed to provide medical care to patients and operate the county’s ambulance system.In the wake of Chief Paramedic Jones’ resignation last week, Dr. MacKenzie has now reduced the scope of local EMTs’ medical purvue from ALS — providing Advanced Life Support — to BLS, Basic Life Support.The change from ALS to BLS, according to EMS Director Heidt, also carries with it a significant reduction in the amount of medication which EMTs are allowed to administer. Heidt adds that the change in procedure results in “considerable impacts to everyone who lives and visits here.”Jones’ April 9 resignation comes in the immediate wake of a short special Hinsdale County Commissioners’ meeting last week (see separate article) late Wednesday morning, April 8, during which commissioners unanimously approved slight revisions to EMS Director Heidt’s contract.Following Jones’ resignation, multiple county meetings were held, starting Tuesday, April 7, with Dr. MacKenzie remotely attending a specially-called county board workshop, also reported elsewhere this week’s issue, followed by the commissioners’ mid-month meeting on April 15.Prior to resignation, Jones’ work with Hinsdale EMS entailed a year-round contract, principal of which was hands-on work with EMTs and patients on emergency calls from late spring through summer 630and early fall each year — EMS Director Heidt in her written communication to commissioners on Tuesday this week detailing that out of 100 EMS responses last summer, Chief Paramedic Jones was involved with a total of 67.On his return to Lake City earlier this month, Jones immediately resumed his role as instructor during the final phase of this past winter’s 17-week Emergency Medical Technician training sessionIn the off-season, mid-fall through winter and into early spring, Jones was physically absent from Lake City but continued on contract with Hinsdale EMS with virtual training, drafting agency procedures and policies in writing, and overseeing CQI (Continual Quality Improvement).Tensions with Hinsdale EMS escalated in late February this year when the employment of EMS Co-Captain Amanda Hartman, an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, was terminated as the result of what was later described as a multi-month Human Resources conflict.In letters announcing his resignation dated April 9 to EMS Director Heidt and Hinsdale EMS colleagues, Jones expressed criticism of Hinsdale County Commissioners, refering to the event as a “debacle” and conveying regret “I will be deprived of the opportunity to work alongside you all during the upcoming tourism season.”“I am especially saddened to not be able to mentor and guide our EMT Academy graduates through their clearance process.”A letter from one of those upcoming EMT Academy graduates, Lorie Stewart, was published in last week’s edition of SILVER WORLD.

April 16, 2026 No Comments

Deer Lakes Tops County Board’s March Discussion

by Jodi Linsey Hinsdale County Commissioners met for their regular monthly meetings on March 4 and 18, discussing the Affordable Housing Plan, the proposed Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the Town of Lake City and the Sheriff’s Department, and management of the Deer Lakes Recreational Area.Among updates on the Early Childhood Coalition, funds for the new downtown playground, and the new Operations Building, there were in-depth discussions about the Affordable Housing Plan and the ongoing IGA negotiations with the Town and Sheriff’s Department at the March 4 meeting.On March 4, Commissioners Greg Levine, Robert Hurd, and Kristie Borchers talked about County priorities for scheduled March 11 Joint Workshop with the Town of Lake City Trustees to work out preliminary steps in implementing the recently adopted Affordable Housing Plan. (WORLD March 20). Commissioners concluded that their priority was to have a contracted Housing Coordinator hired using Fast Track Funding grant money for which both entities are eligible to apply.Commissioners instructed Administrator Sandy Hines to work with Town Manager Lex Mulhall to identify highest priorities of a potential Housing Coordinator for discussion at the March 11 workshop. They ended the conversation with the conclusion that an IGA between the Town and County can be drafted once initial priorities are worked out together with their counterparts on the Town Board.Another IGA up for discussion was the agreement between the Town and Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Department. Negotiations about this subject have been underway since approximately November of last year when the Town indicated that they wanted an updated IGA. These negotiations have stalled on different points since that time, although the Commissioners expressed cautious optimism about an imminent conclusion.Deer Lakes Campground was of particular interest as summer approaches and the Commissioners continue to piece together their plan to apply for a permit with the US Forest Service to maintain the site. The four lakes, maintained by three dams, were constructed in 1954 in a cooperative effort between the county and Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce, after which Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) informally agreed to maintain the lakes. Hurd states that other than beaver mitigation, CPW has not upgraded the site since 1957.Following a failure of the uppermost dam in June 2021, CPW worked with the Forest Service to exact repairs while indicating they no longer wanted to be responsible for maintenance. In order to protect this popular fishing and picnic area, Hinsdale County has agreed to take over maintenance of the dams, with Hurd adding “I feel like it’s pretty trouble-free now.” Borchers responded “I think it’s a good plan, twenty years is a reasonable permit.”The Forest Service also reconstructed the Campground and Recreation areas, with the entire complex reopening for the summer season in 2025. The Forest Service has contracted with a concessionaire to operate the campground, imposing mandatory day-use fee which prompted vocal complaints to the Commissioners during the 2025 season. According to County Administrator Sandy Hines, there will now be no fee for short-term picnic parking or wildlife viewing this summer. Unanimous approval to submit a permit application to the Forest Service to provide maintenance of the dams at Deer Lakes was passed at the March 4 regular meeting.In the March 4 meeting, Sheriff Denim Starnes gave……… READ THIS ARTICLE IN FULL SUBSCRIBE!

April 2, 2026 No Comments

Tag: Hinsdale County