TRIBUTE TO MARINE CPL. DAVID SONKA
75 CENTS
June 22, 2017
New dog park honors ultimate sacrifice P10
ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
Cardinals take to gridiron for summer session
Elbert County in market for a manager Commissioners discuss replacing Ehmann, who has been on leave for several weeks BY JODI HORNER SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
nity to work on passing offense with quarterbacks, running backs and receivers and on defense with linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties. There were teams from 1A through 5A schools entered in the tournament. All the 7-on-7 entries were divided into four-team pools for the round-robin play that took up the first three days of the competition. The 25 pool play winners then advanced to the June 17 singleelimination tournament held at the Denver Broncos training facility at
Retired lawyer Rick Brown took to the podium at the June 14 Board of County Commissioners meeting to address the “shifting status of the county manager position” in Elbert County, he said. “We’ve been told he’s on sick leave, that he resigned, that he’s on vacation,” said Brown, who lives in Kiowa. Whatever the case, he said, “It’s apparent you will soon need to be hiring a position for the chief executive officer of the county.” County Manager Ed Ehmann was promoted into his current role, at an annual base salary of $109,000, at the Feb. 26, 2014 BOCC meeting. Prior to that, he had been employed with the county for seven years as the public works director. On April 26 of this year, Ehmann’s contract as county manager was extended at a BOCC meeting, one in which the three county commissioners took turns expressing their gratitude and confidence in Ehmann’s contributions and capabilities. Ehmann notified the county later that day that he would not be able to return to work for the next two weeks, according to Commissioner Danny Willcox. He has been on sick leave since that time. No official information has been available
SEE FOOTBALL, P15
SEE MANAGER, P5
Elizabeth quarterback Nick Ball looks for an open receiver in the June 14 game against Moffat County during the Broncos 7 on 7 Tournament played at Denver All-City Stadium. Ball completed the pass, but Moffat County won the game. The Cardinals played well but didn’t advance to the June 17 championship tournament at the Broncos Training Facility at Dove Valley. TOM MUNDS
Elizabeth holds hit camp, plays in 7-on-7 football tourney BY TOM MUNDS TMUNDS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The “boys of summer” generally refers to baseball players but it also applies to Elizabeth High School football players. The Cardinals recently completed their full-contact summer camp
and then took part in the June 14-17 Broncos 7-on-7 football tournament. “We have a strong program and urge the kids to take part in offseason activities to stay in good physical condition and help them improve their football skills,” Cardinals coach Mike Zoesch said. The Cardinals were among about 100 teams that took part in the June 14-17 Bronco 7-on-7 tournament. The 7-on-7 event is an all-passing, touch football tournament involving backs, receivers and linebackers and defensive backs. The 7-on-7 games provide coaches an opportu-
THE BOTTOM LINE PERIODICAL
‘Experts recommend slicing an avocado on a cutting board. Who does that? Maybe after you or I have severed a tendon, we will.’ Craig Marshall Smith, columnist | Page 8 INSIDE
VOICES: PAGE 8 | LIFE: PAGE 10 | CALENDAR: PAGE 6
ElbertCountyNews.net
VOLUME 122 | ISSUE 21