75 CENTS
February 1, 2018
ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
COOL HOBBY: Young outdoor enthusiasts learn fun of ice fishing P12
Trail planning moves forward in Elizabeth Path for walking, biking will circle town when completed BY TOM MUNDS TMUNDS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Bareback bronc riding drew large crowds Jan. 15 for the MLK African-American Heritage Rodeo during the National Western Stock Show. PHOTOS COURTESY BRETT STAKELIN/BRETTSTAKELIN.COM
Stock show touts near-record attendance STAFF REPORT
The recently concluded 112th National Western Stock Show boasted the second highest attendance in the show’s history, with 705,574 visitors, according to a stock show news release. The largest stock show attendance was in 2006 for the 100th anniversary, with 726,972 people. “We appreciate every person, young and old, from near and far that came out to make memories with us,” Paul Andrews, president and CEO of the National Western Stock Show, said in the news release. “To host over 700,000 guests in 16 days is tremendous, not to mention historic.” The National Western Scholarship Trust is funded by three primary sources, and each source had “a remarkable year,” according to the news release. SEE SHOW, P8
Naturally, Western wear was available for sale at the National Western Stock Show.
Work is nearing completion on the design of the first two phases of the walking and biking trail that will eventually circle Elizabeth. “Phases one and two of the trail are designed to be about 6,800 feet long,” said Grace Swanson, Elizabeth community development director. “The path will be either concrete or finely crushed rock. We hope to see construction begin about August.” She said the initial work will be clearing vegetation by hand along portions of the trail, so putting down the surface will probably start by October. The first phase of trail would proceed from the Elizabeth Park and Recreation trail extending west across Running Creek with a new pedestrian bridge and then the trail would extend south under Highway 86 to Maple Street, connecting into Main Street through Spruce Street. The proposed cost of phase one and two of the trail will be approximately $1.4 million. Swanson said grants from the Colorado Department of Highways and Greater Outdoors Colorado make up about $1.3 million of the cost, with Elizabeth providing about $100,000 to cover the costs. She said that later in the trail construction process a portion of it will be built by CDOT. Swanson said that is because CDOT planned to build a connection from Highway 86 to Elizabeth Middle School as part of a road project in the area. Part of the construction plans were for a sidewalk along the side of the connection. The city worked with CDOT to increase the width of the sidewalk from SEE TRAIL, P8
THE BOTTOM LINE PERIODICAL
“As people pass away, the reasons or causes aren’t nearly as important as how the person spent their time here on earth. Who were they? What did they do?” Michael Norton | columnist, Page 10 INSIDE
VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 7
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VOLUME 123 | ISSUE 1