Sheriff - The Silver World Newspaper

2024, A Year in Review

At his death in January, 1874, pioneer Pueblo, Colorado, attorney, journalist, and past territorial lieutenant governor George Aaron Hinsdale, 1), had no intimation his memory would be revived in 2024 as Hinsdale County celebrated its sesquicentennial marking 150 years since its creation with neighboring LaPlata and Rio Grande Counties. As part of the ongoing celebration, Assessor Sherri Boyce and her deputy, Sarah Tubbs, 2), presided over refreshments in their courthouse office on August 1.In addition to the county’s formation, 2024 was also notable as 150th anniversary of Town Founder Enos Hotchkiss building Lake City’s first cabin, August 16, 1874, and — less savory — Alferd Packer consuming fellow prospectors in late winter/early spring 1874.On an upcoming note, notable anniversaries continue in 1875 with 150 since creation of Town of Lake City’s predecessor, the Lake City Town Company, and — on a journalistic note — 150 years since first issue of the original SILVER WORLD Newspaper, June 19, 1875.Also notable in 2025 is 50th anniversary of Phillip Virden’s Mountaineer Movie Theatre.Superlatives in Lake City Recreation Department’s February 3 Ice Climb were repeat wife-and-husband winning team from Golden, Colorado, Kristin Felix, 3), with rapid vertical ice ascent two minutes, 16.39 seconds in the Top Rope competition, and her husband, Todd Felix, 4), who was once again first among men in Lead Rope, inspiring 54.82-second ascent. Denver ice climber Jaren Summer, 5), was among the women contenders in this year’s event (photo by J.T. Stratton). Local climbers in the annual ice event were Sam Fyler and J.T. Stratton.Supervised by Rec. Dept, Leader Ben Hake, climbable ice on Henson Creek continues to expand, Hake with assistants including Danny File and Christian Hartman dousing an added section of challenging vertical cliff across from the Devil’s Kitchen cave with 1,350 additional feet of water pipe this fall for added ice climb challenge.Local girl Buffy Hurd Witt, 6), achieved notable success and was responsible for significant advances during her four-years as Hinsdale Emergency Medical Service Director starting December, 2019, and continuing through December, 2023, when she announced her intent to resign. Witt received a state-wide honor in December 2023, with Best EMS Director Award.Witt’s replacement as EMS Director effective March 25 was eight-year Lake City resident Katherine Heidt, 7) a familiar face among local emergency medical responders who was accredited as EMT in 2020 and worked closely with Witt as EMS Coordinator, Heidt was also certified as Wilderness EMT in 2023.Simultaneous with Heidt’s appointment as EMS Director, Amanda Hartman and Dan Humphreys were named EMS Captains charged with ambulance staffing, ensuring ambulance response is sufficiently staffed with responders on a 24/7, year-round basis, and overseeing ambulance supply restocking and vehicle maintenance. Also continuing as an immense asset to Hinsdale EMS was the return of Brad Jones on a part-time basis as Chief Paramedic.Seth Withrow once again headed up Hinsdale Search & Rescue’s February 19 Ice Fishing Derby at Lake San Cristobal, 8), this year’s lunkers plucked from beneath the ice 22-1/8” lake trout by John Warren, first place, second and third place honors respectively Nicole Schulties, 19-7/8”, and Sam Pankratz, 19-1/2”.Seven Lake City area students commenced an intense five-month Emergency Medical Technician class, 9), on January 9, four of the students — Kelly Elkins, Sarah DeCristino, Grant Loper, and Danny Oge’ — completed certification for an awards ceremony which was held on June 13.Lifesaver Awards signifying teamwork, professionalism, and excellence of care were bestowed by Hinsdale Commissioners to local emergency responders in March, recipients posed with Ann McCord, 10), including Amanda Hartman, Buffy Witt, Richard Williams, Jordan Kaminski, Kelly Elkins, Katherine Heidt, Melody Crump, and Rachel Moore.11), Greg Olson received his oath of office as newest board member of Lake Fork Health Services District from board chairman Lynn McNitt on February 16, joins fellow board members McNitt and Katie Elkins, together with Jordan Kaminski and Hector Gomez, the latter two resigning near year’s end creating two vacancies on the health board.Dr. Ann Treisman, 12), was named Medical Director at Lake City Area Medical Center on January 1, Treisman taking the place of Gunnison physician Dr. Bill Gattis who had served in that capacity — and who was credited as a “stabilizing force” during a significant period of change — since 2020.Dr. Treisman’s tenure at Lake City Area Medical Center dates back to summer, 2014, when she worked at the center when she was a medical student. She interned at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Denver, and was awarded her Doctorate of Medicine Degree from University of Colorado School of Medicine in 2017.Lake City’s Fourteeners middle school girls’ basketball team enjoyed a tremendous season, ending play after advancing to Consolation League Tournament in Alamosa, Colorado, in February where teammates, 13), Carson Shepherd, Aven Humphreys, Morgan Hardy, Brylee Elkins, Cora Kaminski, Nadya Kaminski, and Blake Tubbs walloped their Ortega Middle School counterparts in a down-to-the-wire nailbiter.In addition to a fine season by Lake City middle school girls, also ending successful seasons in February, 2024, were Fourteeners’ middle school boys’ team coached by Doug Eby and Kelly Elkins, 14), Brantley Votruba, Rhys Phillimore, Quan Lemon, Henry Shepherd, Dax Elkins, Daniel Hays, Elliott Hartman, and Joseph Tubbs; older high school basketball team, Mace Elkins, Dean Brown, Silas Hartman, Levi Hartman, Micah Humphreys, and Peter Loper, 15), and Fourteeners’ high school girls, Rowan McNeese, Lucy Hays, Kadance Simmons, Mackenzie Phillimore, Priya Hartman, Eva Wingard, Ingrid Piltinsgrud, and coach Sarah Eby, 16).HUB networking office sponsored by DIRT and Visionary Broadband upstairs in the bank building was enlivened in January with artwork by Lake City school alum Sophie Borchers and Nick Arbogast, 17).Hinsdale Ski Team coached by Henry Woods had a successful showing against counterpart downhill skiers from Pagosa Springs and Silverton, Colorado, during the annual Matt Milski Memorial Ski Race at Lake City Ski Hill on March 2, superlatives with hands raised in victory, 18), first and second place finishers Henry Shepherd, completing the slalom 35.21 seconds, and Elijah Wuest, 37.21 seconds; competing for Lake City on the hometown team and dressed for the

January 3, 2025 No Comments

Monday, November 18, marked a somber anniversary in Lake City as local residents quietly observed the 30th anniversary of the death of Hinsdale County Sheriff Roger Coursey.

Sheriff Coursey, 44, and his Undersheriff, Ray Blaum, were on Highway 149 near the Packer Massacre Site at the base of Slumgullion Pass early Friday morning, November 18, 1994, when they halted a pickup with a man and woman suspected in a series of burglaries which had occurred hours before in Creede. After stopping the pickup, Sheriff Coursey was standing beside the vehicle when he was fatally shot with a .44-caliber Regur pistol. The vehicle’s occupants, driver Mark Allen Vredenburg, and his companion, Ruth N. Slater, then fled the scene, Undersheriff Blaum firing several bullets through the tailgate of the pickup. An intense search for the suspects followed the Sheriff’s murder, although it wasn’t until several weeks later, December 17, 1994, that the bodies of Slater and Vredenburg — an apparent murder/suicide — were found beneath a tree overlooking Lake City Heights Subdivision. Among those with heartfelt memories of Sheriff Coursey’s death is Ray Blaum, now a resident of Norfolk, Virginia, who was in Lake City with his son, Tim Blaum, for Monday’s anniversary. Jerry Gray shares the above photo of father and son Blaum who are posed beside a memorial near where Sheriff Coursey died. In addition to flowers, attached to the white cross memorial is an enclosed sign-in sheet for those visiting the site, signers including law enforcement officers from throughout the U.S. who leave their names with badge numbers.

November 21, 2024 No Comments

Undersheriff Starnes, Commissioner Levine Elected Amid Heavy 88% Voter Turnout…

Hinsdale County voters in record droves maintained the status quo on Tuesday as they handily returned two incumbent County Commissioners to successive four-year terms, and affirmed Undersheriff Denim Starnes who was elected to a four-year term as Hinsdale County Sheriff, the 38th sheriff in the county’s 150-year history. Again, indicating voter satisfaction with the current slate of the county’s elected officers, Hinsdale County Coroner Lori Lawrence, running unopposed, received 479 votes, the highest vote tally of any candidate in this year’s General Election. Hinsdale County Clerk & Recorder Joan Roberts credited “smooth and efficient” work on the part of her staff, Deputy County Clerk Allison Athey and election judges, for a speedy turn around which allowed election results to be checked and double checked, with formal announcement of election results prior to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. At poll closing at 7 p.m. on a cold and snowing election evening Tuesday, the clerk’s office reported a tremendous 88 percent return of the 692 ballots which were mailed to registered voters last month. Of the 692 ballots sent to the county’s voters, 608 ballots were returned either by mail, hand delivery to the clerk’s office, or drop off in the county courthouse outside ballot box prior to Tuesday evening’s deadline. Election judges Alice Attaway, Karen McClatchie, Peggy Bales, Lorie Stewart, and Kathleen Whinnery Murphy smoothly processed this year’s ballots, reporting no provisional ballots which were left uncounted. In the county’s two tightest, contested election races, Unaffiliated incumbent District 1 Commissioner Greg Levine garnered a total of 343 votes county-wide compared to his Republican rival, Steve Ryals, who received 245 votes. Incumbent District 3 County Commissioner Robert Hurd, a Republican, was unopposed in his quest for re-election and received 443 votes, second highest vote tally among local candidates in Tuesday’s election. A second contested local election was for Hinsdale County Sheriff with an unprecedented three candidates who were vying to fill the vacancy resulting from last summer’s resignation of Chris Kambish. Since Kambish’s June, 2024, departure, the role of Hinsdale County Sheriff has been filled by former Sheriff Ron Bruce who was drafted to fill the position with the stated intent of once again retiring from office after the new sheriff is sworn into office on January 8 next year. Top vote recipient in the sheriff’s election was Unaffiliated candidate Denim Starnes, with 343 votes, who is currently Hinsdale County Undersheriff. Starnes was challenged by two candidates, Republican Jordan Kaminski, a former Hinsdale County Undersheriff, who received 186 votes, and a total of 42 votes were tallied for write-In candidate John Thomas Stratton. In other regional election results, traditionally GOP-leaning Hinsdale County awarded a near-identical number of votes to Gunnison County Democrat Kathleen Curry who was vying for the District 58 State Representative seat against Republican Larry Don Suckla. Within the county, Suckla was slightly ahead in Tuesday evening’s tally with 288 votes compared to Curry’s 262; district-wide and according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s cumulative tally Wednesday morning, Suckla was declared the winner with a 52.90 percent vote tally, 26,730, compared to 47.10 percent, 23,795, for Curry. Montrose Republican Marc Catlin was similarly triumphant in the district-wide vote tally for District 5 State Senator, Catlin receiving a total of 41,977 votes, 52.02 percent, compared to 38,718, 47.98 percent, for his Democratic challenger, Cole Buerger. In Hinsdale County in the District 5 State Senate race, Catlin received 336 votes, 216 votes going to Buerger. Predictably Republican leanings were also evident among Hinsdale County voters in the U.S. Presidential race, the Lake City tally after close of polls on Tuesday awarding 329 votes to Donald J. Trump and 252 votes Democratic challenger Kamala Harris. State-wide, as was heavily reported, Colorado voters on whole favored Democrat Harris, 51 percent with 1,374,175, compared to 1,084,812 votes — 43.1 percent — which were awarded to Trump. Other elections of interest include 7th Judicial District Attorney Seth Ryan, an incumbent, who was the sole candidate, receiving 342 Hinsdale County votes. The rub, however, is that Ryan resigned on September 24; state-wide, the 37,727 votes cast for Ryan now go to his replacement, Anna Cooling, who was named by the vacancy committee. The results for state ballot questions are as follows: Amendment G – “shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution concerning the expansion of eligibility for the property tax exemption for veteran’s with a disability to include a veteran who does not have a service- connected disability rated as a one hundred percent permanent disability but does have individual employment status?” State-wide, this measure passed, with 72.45% of voters voting “yes” and 27.55% of voters voting “no.” In Hinsdale County the Amendment G vote was 396 yes, 163 no. Amendment H – shall there be an Amendment to the Colorado Constitution concerning judicial discipline, and in connection therewith, establishing an Independent judicial discipline adjudicative board, setting standards for judicial review of a discipline case, and clarifying when discipline proceedings become public? This measure passed, with 72.74% of Colorado voters voting “yes” and 27.26% of voters voting “no.” Hinsdale County voters: 378 yes, 162 no. Amendment I – shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution concerning creating an exception to the right to bail for cases of murder in the first degree when proof is evident or presumption is great? This measure passed, with 69.39% of voters voting “yes” and 30.61% of voters voting “no”. Hinsdale County: 384 yes, 173 no. Amendment J – shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution removing the ban on same-sex marriage? This measure passed, with 63.78% of voters voting “yes” and 36.22% of voters voting “no.” Hinsdale County: 300 yes, 269 no. Amendment K – shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning the modification of certain deadlines in connection with specified elections? This measure did not pass, with 55.31% of voters voting

November 7, 2024 No Comments

Applause as Bruce Returns as Interim Hinsdale Co. Sheriff

It was proverbial Groundhog’s Day in Lake City last Friday afternoon, July 12, as a repeat Hinsdale County Sheriff, Ron Bruce, was once again sworn into office as interim sheriff.As a quick recap, there have been a total of 38 sheriffs in Hinsdale County since its creation 150 years ago, in February, 1874. Bruce, who has the distinction being both the county’s 35th and 38th sheriff in line of succession, was first elected to the office in 2007 and was re-elected to multiple terms prior to retiring from office in 2019.He was succeeded by Justin Casey who briefly served as Hinsdale County Sheriff from 2019 until resigning in 2020, and — most recently —Christopher Kambish who was appointed to the post in 2019 and elected to a four-year term in 2020. Sheriff Kambish announced his resignation earlier this summer and his last day in office was last Friday, July 12.Hinsdale County Commissioners reviewed possible interim successor to Sheriff Kambish and at their late June meeting unanimously named Bruce as interim successor.Bruce, who was ebullient last Friday as he received his oath of office from Deputy Hinsdale County Clerk Allison Athey, will fill the office through this fall’s General Election in November when a successor will be elected and take office in January, 2025.There are three candidates for the office of Hinsdale County Sheriff, Denim Starnes previously a deputy and named Undersheriff by Bruce earlier in the day on Friday, J.T. Stratton, and former Hinsdale County Undersheriff Jordan Kaminski.As reported elsewhere this week, Kaminski successfully applied to the Hinsdale County Republican Vacancy Committee to seek election in November. Denim is an Unaffiliated candidate for Sheriff who will be listed on this fall’s ballot after submitting a petition signed by registered Hinsdale County voters; Stratton is a write-in candidate for Hinsdale Sheriff who filed paperwork with Hinsdale County Clerk Robert on Monday this week prior to the Wednesday, July 17 deadline.Jovial at last Friday’s swearing in, Sheriff Bruce looked out across the packed Coursey Annex meeting room stating he was both “thankful and humbled” by the opportunity to come out of retirement and once again serve the residents of Hinsdale County as sheriff.“I need your support and prayers,” he said, noting that in the interim post he plans to learn from past mistakes and move on. Recalling President Eisenhower’s hallowed motto, he said that as head of the sheriff’s office, “the buck stops here.”Again, drawing audience applause, Bruce said, “you have me for six months, but it’s the last bite of the apple.”He referenced current office operations as “topsy turvy” with multiple resignations in recent weeks and said it was the directive of Hinsdale County Commissioners that he “pull it together and return the office to a smooth-running machine.”Sheriff Bruce drew applause in stating an immediate goal: “I want staff to be happy to come to work.”It was at this point that he announced former Hinsdale Sheriff’s Office Deputy Denim Starnes has been promoted to Hinsdale Undersheriff; Undersheriff Starnes and Deputies Sarah Poet and Mark Zeckser will also be joined on a temporary basis by Lake City local Tom Carl, formerly a deputy with the department, who has agreed to return to ranks.Sheriff Bruce ominously stated, “there are a couple of people I have my eye on who will be unhappy unless they change their lives.”The newly appointed sheriff indicated that his first two weeks in office will be slow as he recuperates from minor bladder surgery which was scheduled on Thursday this week. “I’ll have a week of light duty,” he said, “but after that I’ll be out meeting folks.”From the audience, Hinsdale County Commissioners Robert Hurd and Kristie Borchers added their congratulations, Borchers also extending best wishes to Chris Kambish and his family as they move on to the next phase of their lives.Among those in the congratulatory audience — which included the new sheriff’s wife, Diane Bruce, dressed in red, white and blue in a front row seat — on Friday was Bruce’s old friend, strapping former Texas Ranger Nick Hanna who is now Sheriff of Tom Green County near San Angelo.Raising his hand in greeting to Hanna, Bruce — a former Arizona state patrolman prior to Lake City — told the audience, “In my next life I want to come back as a Texas Ranger.”

July 20, 2024 No Comments

Kaminski Approved as Sheriff Candidate in Split Vote by GOP Vacancy Committee

Emotions flared on Monday morning this week as the five-member Vacancy Committee of the Hinsdale County Republican Party met to consider endorsing candidates for Hinsdale County Sheriff in this fall’s General Election.After emotional remarks by several members of the Vacancy Committee and in split three-yes, two-no balloting, the committee voted to approve former Hinsdale County Undersheriff Jordan Kaminski as the Republican Party’s candidate for Hinsdale County Sheriff.Empowered by Colorado State Statute to name candidates to fill vacancies, the deliberation was described by vacancy committee member Michael Murphy as “winging it” in a “difficult situation.”Among seated audience at Monday’s vacancy committee meeting was Jordan Kaminski who worked for Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Dept 2012-2014 and again starting 2018 and served as Undersheriff from September, 2020, until his resignation effective June 23 this year.In his remarks to the vacancy committee members, Kaminski stated that following prayerful consideration he had concluded to ask the committee to approve him as Republican candidate for sheriff in order to give the voters a choice.“I am at peace with whatever you do,” he told vacancy committee members Diane Bruce, Wes Williams, Becky Weeks, Michael Murphy, and Bobby Kleckner, the latter representing Hinsdale County’s South End. After 30 minutes discussion, including intense questioning by several members of the vacancy committee, the motion to list Kaminski by name as the Republican Party’s candidate for Hinsdale County Sheriff was made by Wes Williams and Michael Murphy and ultimately passed with Williams, Murphy, and Weeks voting in the affirmative, and Bruce and Kleckner casting no votes. As Republican candidate in this November’s Election, Kaminski will be one of three candidates for county sheriff; as reported in last week’s WORLD, Hinsdale Sheriff’s Dept. Deputy and now Undersheriff Denim Starnes has submitted sufficient registered voter signatures to seek election as Hinsdale Sheriff as an Unaffiliated candidate; added to the list of candidates for sheriff as of Monday morning this week is Lake City resident J.T. Stratton, registered Unaffiliated with the county, who has filed paper work to seek election as a write-in candidate.As write-in candidate, Stratton was not required to submit signatures of registered voters.The successful sheriff’s candidate will take the place of interim Hinsdale County Sheriff Ron Bruce (see separate article, page 1) who on Friday afternoon, July 12, received his oath of office to replace the former sheriff, Chris Kambish, who resigned effective July 12.Bruce, a past Hinsdale County Sheriff, was selected as interim replacement by Hinsdale County Commissioners and has agree to serve from Friday last week until January 8, 2025, when the newly-elected sheriff is sworn into office. In Monday morning’s vacancy committee meeting, former undersheriff Kaminski was seated and calm as he was closely questioned by several of the committee members. Asked by Wes Williams for his reasoning in resigning as undersheriff last month, Kaminski replied that it was an issue of prayer, stating he felt it was “best to step away for a time” in the midst of turmoil which arose as a result of the resignation of Sheriff Kambish.South End committee member Bobby Kleckner referenced “interesting times we live in”……. To read the full story, pick up a copy of the Lake City Silver World at local shops or subscribe today!

July 20, 2024 No Comments

Dear Community

A few of you on this mailing list had said they wanted to be at my swearing in as Sheriff again. Cannot recall just who, so some are getting this that really have other things to do. I surely understand. Allison Athey said it will be Friday at 1300 hours (also known at 1:00 PM) in Coursey Annex.Hard to believe I’m doing this one more time Thanks to all for your support.Ron Bruce

July 11, 2024 No Comments

Kaminski Resigns as Sheriff’s Dept. Undersheriff

Since last week’s edition, a third resignation, from Hinsdale County Undersheriff Kaminski, has occurred within the staffing ranks of Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Office.On the heels of Sheriff Kambish and Deputy Brennan Pantleo, whose resignations were reported in the June 7 edition of SILVER WORLD, Undersheriff Jordan Kaminski submitted a resignation letter dated last Thursday, June 13.Kaminski’s tenure as deputy dates 2012-2014, and again 2018-2020. He served as Hinsdale County Undersheriff from September, 2020, until present.Sheriff Kambish, who will be succeeded by former sheriff Ron Bruce effective July 12, has stated he does not intend to appoint a replacement undersheriff, telling WORLD “I will leave that up to Ron.”With the resignations of Sheriff Kambish, Undersheriff Kaminski, and Deputy Pantleo, law enforcement personnel at short-staffed Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Dept. consists of Sheriff Kambish until July 12 and then Sheriff Bruce, Deputies Denham Starnes and Sarah Poet, and Seasonal Deputy Mark Zeckser.The text of Undersheriff Kaminski’s letter of resignation is as follows:“Sheriff Kambish,Please accept this as my official letter of resignation. With the appointment of interim Sheriff Ron Bruce, and hearing from him and the Board of County Commissioners, I believe that it is time for me to tender my resignation.It has been an honor to work for you in serving the community. I have learned a great deal and greatly appreciated the opportunity these last five years.My resignation will take effect June 23, 2024, or earlier if you so desire. Again, thank you for the opportunity.Jordan KaminskiUndersheriffHinsdale County Sheriff’s Office”

June 21, 2024 No Comments

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