2018 Year in Review – February

Moreno Flag Raising at 9/11 Memorial

February 2018

25-7 MEDIA TO Acquire Cherry Creek Media Radio Stations in S.E. Colorado

LAMAR, CO – 25-7 Media, Inc. and Cherry Creek Media announced today their plans to formally file with the Federal Communications Commission to transfer ownership of 920 KLMR-AM and 93.5 KLMR-FM in Lamar and 1400 KBLJ-AM and 92.1 KTHN-FM in La Junta from Cherry Creek Media to 25-7 Media, Inc.

Regarding the transfer, Jonathan Brewster, Cherry Creek Media CEO, said, “We appreciate the great work our teams in Lamar and La Junta have done to serve their communities. With 25-7 Media’s local ownership and commitment to southern Colorado, we’re confident and pleased this effort will continue.”

25-7 Media, Inc. President and General Manager Aaron Leiker said, “Having grown up in Southeast Colorado, I have listened to these stations my entire life. I am excited to bring local ownership back to these heritage stations in our area. A commitment to serving the communities of Lamar and La Junta, Southeast Colorado, and the Hi-Plains region will be the driving force for 25-7 Media in this new venture.”

About 25-7 Media

25-7 Media is a media company based in Lamar, Colorado. Aaron Leiker serves as President and General Manager. Leiker was raised in Holly, Colorado. While in high school, Leiker started his radio career in Lamar. He graduated from Kansas State University with an emphasis in broadcast management. He has managed stations in both Kansas and Colorado.

Memorial Miniature

9/11 Memorial Taking Shape

Thursday, February 22nd, was a raw, cold and windy day for any kind of outdoors work, but it wasn’t much of a hindrance for about 10 students from Lamar High School who volunteered to help place the brickwork which creates the base of the 9/11 Memorial being constructed at the southern edge of Big Timbers Museum on Highway 287 in Lamar.

Doug Harbour, organizer of the 9/11 Tribute and a member of the Memorial Wall Foundation, said the students should finish most of the work on Thursday, and more are expected to help on Friday, “We should have most of this accomplished by the end of the week,” he said.

Home Depot in Pueblo has donated a lot of the material being used for the memorial’s base, as well as some picnic tables and shade shelters later this spring. Harbour said the bottom two levels consist of grooved bricks which are cemented in place and anchored with rebar.  “The top two rows will also be anchored with concrete and capped with painted concrete to match the pedestal which will hold the flagpole.  Harbour said he’s inviting students from Holly, Wiley and Granada to share in some of the construction work.
By Russ Baldwin

Holly Preparing for April Municipal Election

A resolution was passed during the Holly Trustees town meeting on February 7th, allowing Town Clerk, Megan Jara, to appoint election judges for the town’s regular municipal elections for the first Tuesday in April. There will be two candidates for Mayor, incumbent Tony Garcia and Derrell Bailey and there are five candidates for three Trustee seats:  Anthony Moldenhauer, Jacob Holdren, Justin Willhite, Aaron Leiker and Jarid Gulley.

Plans Begin for Wheels Skateboard Park

While still awaiting the signed grant contract with GoCO for the funding needed to begin construction of the skateboard park in Lamar, City Code Inspector, Craig Brooks, presented the council with a proposed agreement for the park. The agreement covers the Lamar Design Build Proposal, the Owner-Contractor Agreement and General Conditions between Owner-Contractor, Team Pain.  Brooks said the city has been award the GoCO grant which will provide funds for the project expected to begin this summer and will be concluded by August.  Brooks said the date has been pushed back over delays with the grant for the funds to finance the construction, adding, “We can’t spend a penny until we receive the signed contract from GoCO.”

On the Cutting Edge

Granada Agreement with CDPHE Keeps Landfill Open

The Granada Trustees held a special meeting Friday, February 2nd, to discuss their option on the town’s landfill in light of mandated regulations from the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. The issue of keeping the landfill open was finally resolved as the Trustees signed an agreement allowing CDPHE access to the landfill to drill four water monitoring wells over the next five years.  After that, it will be the town’s responsibility to have the wells tested for any contamination from the current landfill.

In a related matter, the Trustees decided to increase landfill fees for out of town users by about a third.

Ballot language on the issue of Camp Amache being turned over to the National Park Service was discussed by the Trustees with Jerene and Ian DeBono during their Wednesday meeting, February 14th. The Trustees indicated that a vote of the residents would be required at some point, but they needed more information on what ramifications would develop from the property transfer.  The Trustees said they will ask the town attorney to weigh in on the legalities for the transfer.  The Trustees also intend to send information letters to land owners whose property is adjacent to the former internment camp.