The "contentious situation" surrounding Pueblo West Metro's six-year search for a permanent office building resulted in Board President Doug Proal resigning during the board's April 14 meeting ending his second term in office just a few weeks shy of eight years The district board has been without a permanent home since a March 2019 bomb cyclone weather event led to its 109 E. Industrial Ave. office building being condemned. Since then the board has considered constructing a new building or buying several existing buildings the board voted 4-1 to ask District Manager Christian Heyn to move ahead with securing letters of intent to purchase the building the district is currently occupying at 63 E the board voted 3-2 to move forward with a contract to purchase the office building for $950,000 An appraisal was conducted in March in which the building's value was listed at $700,000 District Manager Christian Heyn asked the board on Monday to consider a new proposed purchase price of $710,000 The contentious situation has centered around the fact that Sam Proal Although Doug Proal has abstained from votes that impacted the decision in the past earlier this year he filed a declaration from the Colorado Secretary of State's Office confirming he has no ownership interest in the building Proal said "I can't imagine why the Bank of San Juans would send us one name for an appraiser when this is a contentious situation I question the inspection process and think the whole thing is a red flag." Proal said he would again abstain from the vote Board Vice President Joe Mahaney said the appraisal "seemed high to me but is a lot better than $950,000 or $1.1 million." Board Secretary Bill Vickers said he has had "reservations about this building from the start." but $710,000 is more palatable than $950,000 I'm still not convinced it is the best move," Vickers said Vickers suggested delaying a vote for 22 days and allowing the new metro district board to take on the issue after the May 6 election when Proal is no longer serving on the board Board Member Brian Gray said in the commercial world open-shell buildings appraise in that price range and suggested an individual review of the appraisal would be "the right thing morally." Board Treasurer Brian Axworthy said he believed the district should move forward and if the owner does not want to accept the lower offer but it is not in the best interest to look for a way to pay more money for the building." On the first vote to amend the contract to $710,000 the board was deadlocked 2-2 without Proal voting A second motion to seek a third-party review of the appraisal also deadlocked the board voted 3-1 to amend the purchase amount to $710,000 Proal said he would immediately tender his resignation Mahaney chaired the remainder of the meeting in Proal's absence Deputy Utilities Director Jeffrey DeHerrera asked the board to consider imposing water conservation fees when the district faces water restrictions in drought years He said a water customer who uses 30,000 gallons in a month pays a $155 consumption fee for water if Stage 2 mandatory water restrictions kick in that same amount of water would cost $186; if Stage 3 restrictions kick in we've had good reception and people cut back We have never gotten to the point we had to get to Stage 2," he explained A second public hearing will be held at 5 p.m. before the board will formally vote to approve the increases the board also unanimously approved a 9.6% increase in Pueblo West Committee of Architecture application fees for new construction Pueblo West candidate forum is April 17Eight candidates are vying for three seats on the Pueblo West Metro District Board during a May 6 special election In addition to incumbents Gray and Mahaney this year’s candidates include Christopher Pasternak Voters also can attend or watch online a candidate forum slated for 6:30 p.m. More: Pueblo West entertains return of Fourth of July Wet Parade; board OKs contracts for office Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via X at x.com/tracywumps. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com She formerly resided in Lincoln and Nebraska City NE; the daughter of Edward Carl and Clara “Peggy” Alice (McConahaFriday 2025.  She formerly resided in Lincoln and Nebraska City NE; the daughter of Edward Carl and Clara “Peggy” Alice (McConaha) Hershey Hope worked as a bank teller for many years She is survived by a son Richard Joe “Ric” Arthur; two grandchildren:  Sophia and Oliver; her brothers and sisters:  Barbara Fern Penezic and husband John Earl Theodore Hershey and significant other Beverly  Patricia Mae Rumery and husband Dave Sandy Kaye Cooper and Robyn Gaye Ferguson and husband Kenny; other family and many friends She was preceded in death by siblings:  Edward Carl “Eddie” Hershey (Janice) Cindy Sue Axtell and James Arden “Jamie” Horner as well as her parents Hope enjoyed fishing and kayaking.  She also loved Christmas Packers – and a good steak!  Although she was a bit snarky and sarcastic she was one who always made you laugh.  She was full of love and support and will be greatly missed A Celebration of Life Gathering will be held on Sunday; June 1 at Pin High Clubhouse and Grill (Table Creek Gude Mortuary is assisting the family with arrangements Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPUEBLO WEST the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office asked for the community’s help in identifying a suspect in connection with an incident in Pueblo West Deputies said the man was connected to a theft from a Walmart in Pueblo West Deputies said a woman was with the man when they left the Walmart with a cart full of products the man and woman left in a red SUV with an unknown temporary tag contact the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office at (719) 583-6250 and reference #7304 or Crime Stoppers at (719) 542-7867 Photos of the suspect and SUV are provided below: PUEBLO COUNTY — First responders helped rescue a 63-year-old woman who fell through the ice at a Pueblo West pond while trying to rescue her dog according to the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office which is located near the intersection of South McCulloch Boulevard and South Joe Martinez Boulevard Deputies say they assisted the Pueblo West Fire Department in getting a rescue rope around the woman first responders were able to pull her to safety the woman was taken to the hospital for precautionary measures The sheriff's office says she was treated and released The sheriff's office warns you to be careful going onto ice because it can be unpredictable and unstable They say although the surface can appear to be solid the sheriff's office says to put them on a leash so they don't wander onto ice If your pet or someone does fall through ice it's worth noting that service members who retire and then teach at the Academy are considered civilian instructors Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5 Report a typo Three seats are up for grabs May 6 during the Pueblo West Metro District Board of Directors election. In addition to incumbents Brian Gray and Joe Mahaney The board helps oversee the district including the fire department the parks and recreation department and budget issues affecting the community Postal Service recommends mail-in ballots be mailed a week in advance of election day Ballots mailed by April 29 should arrive by May 6 For those who have not returned their ballots in the mail on May 6 at the Pueblo County Election office Voters can also vote in person between 7 a.m To find out more about each of the candidates More: Red Beard Coffee Co. rolls out New York bagels, specialty coffee in Pueblo West Seven candidates are vying for three seats on the Pueblo West Metro District Board during a May 6 special election. Here are Pasternack's responses to the Chieftain's questionnaire I have previous experience serving as a commissioner for the City of Pueblo Planning and Zoning Commission This role allowed me to work closely with community stakeholders and contribute to shaping Pueblo's growth and infrastructure This experience has equipped me with valuable insights into governance which I am eager to bring to the Pueblo West Metro Board What is the main reason you are running for the metro board My family chose Pueblo West over numerous communities across the United States because of its unique charm and potential I am deeply invested in ensuring that Pueblo West remains a safe and nurturing environment for families to thrive My candidacy is driven by a commitment to preserving and enhancing the qualities that make this community a great place to raise a family Pueblo West is weighing two funding issues: The permanent extension of the 1% fire safety sales tax and the construction of an indoor lap pool or aquatic center Which of these projects do you believe is most important for the community and why Fire safety is a fundamental need for any community While the indoor lap pool or aquatic center is an exciting project that would enhance recreational opportunities and community engagement it is not as urgent as maintaining fire safety we demonstrate a commitment to the health and security of our community which lays the foundation for pursuing other projects like the aquatic center in the future Pueblo West has been growing rapidly in recent years Do you favor continued growth and the purchase of additional water resources to facilitate that growth or would you rather see a slower approach to growth securing additional water resources is essential Sustainable development relies on adequate water supply whether the community opts for slower growth or a faster trajectory Ensuring access to water resources is a critical factor in supporting the needs of our residents while responsibly managing Pueblo West's future and ensuring a sustainable supply is the most pressing issue facing Pueblo West While I may not yet have the specifics on the feasibility of working with nearby government entities or securing water from external sources and the community to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses our water needs responsibly and effectively More: Two-steppin' up the ladder: How Copper River has emerged as a premier country music venue I am currently on the Pueblo West Metro Board of Directors I also serve on the Pueblo County Historical Society Board of Directors as one of two collections curators To establish funding and move forward projects currently "in the works" — a year-round use swimming facility and permanent consolidated administration facility The permanent extension of the fire safety sales tax It will free up funds presently allocated from the general fund which will in turn allow the funding needed to build the year-round pool presently being favored continued growth and purchase of additional water resources I also believe the developers should provide the funding (through the) water resource fee I see Pueblo West's biggest problem is public involvement I continue to state that I will support any project the majority of the public is willing to pay for When we lost the Pueblo West View it has been even more difficult to communicate with the public We have a large portion of the public that "is not on social media" and does not subscribe to the Chieftain is a retired Federal Bureau of Prisons employee who operates a couple of home-based businesses He also ran for election to the board in 2023 I have significant experience with the American Federation of Government Employees (Federal Bureau of Prisons union) as a union steward I was the head trustee of the SonRise Methodist Church for seven years overseeing the budget and funding of the church maintenance and grounds projects The main reason I am running for the Pueblo West Metro District Board is that I see we have a small government in Pueblo West that has numerous key elements that are not functioning properly It is not operating within the scope of the community taxpayers' dollars and worked 23 years with the Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons should be the priority project as this is what the voters voted for This recreational aquatic center was in the planning stages prior to 2016 the project has lain dormant for more than nine years it does not speak highly of putting the residents of Pueblo West first and their wishes I want to be the Department of Government Efficiency committee member and the people’s choice/voice Pueblo West has experienced many businesses going under and a lot of housing foreclosures on a scale like never before The economy since 2021 has taxed and severely impacted the residents of Pueblo West The 2008 housing market crash was severe enough but the foreclosures in 2023-2024 almost doubled I am pro-growth and for a smaller government pro-deregulation and most of all pro-taxpayer satisfaction Water is a product of nature and should not be monetized or regulated beyond affordability I want our community wells producing and servicing the needs of the residents Water filtration technology is way better than it was 30 years ago is a strategic development specialist and sales manager at Clayton Homes of Pueblo I have served on the Community Commission for Housing and Homelessness with the City of Pueblo since 2020 I participated in the Pueblo County Master Plan and Uniform Developmental Code as a stakeholder I was elected director of retail for the Rocky Mountain Housing Association I believe it is my duty to serve the community and my obligation to push for the highest and best opportunities possible I strongly believe that great leadership and collaboration are the drivers of potential Pueblo West is a great place to live and raise a family but I think with hard work and vision it is within reach to become a truly exceptional place to be especially in a sometimes windy place like Pueblo West I see no great reason why the aquatic center is still outstanding considering how long ago the voters approved the measure and that seems like a great addition to the community that ought to be done sooner rather than later I certainly support growth and water security as a good strategy I think perhaps the more important question is how growth looks and if it's possible to encourage growth without significant strain simply allowing the development of detached guest homes is an easy and effective way to encourage family-oriented housing with minimal impact that is currently not possible in the district Based on numerous discussions with residents overwhelmingly Pueblo West's biggest issues appear to be related to its infrastructure I think the condition of the roads and the significant leaks associated with the water delivery systems are two areas that need to be cured Water issues dominated the Pueblo West Metro District Board meeting Monday as the board welcomed back its president Pueblo West Metro Board President Doug Proal returned to the board room April 28 after resigning and walking out of the April 14 meeting I allowed my emotions to push me to make an impulsive decision," he said pointing out he decided to come back to finish his term because he did not want to let down the voters or district staff Proal, who is term-limited after being elected to serve two terms, will hand off the gavel to a new board president after three board members are elected during the May 6 election purchase and a plan for the futurePueblo West residents will see higher water rates if drought forces water conservation measures after the board voted unanimously to approve a resolution designed to encourage residents to cut back on water use There was no public comment during public hearings held April 14 and April 28 Deputy Utilities Director Jeffrey DeHerrera said a water customer who uses 30,000 gallons a month pays a $155 consumption fee for water He said so far the district has never gone beyond voluntary Stage 1 water restrictions the board unanimously agreed to purchase 504 acres of land and water shares from Pueblo West Reserve LLC for $360,000 The water shares will be usable as yield allows The board also heard a report from DeHerrera about the Restoration of Yield (ROY) water storage reservoir plan which would be constructed on land purchased near Boone by the governmental partners of the Pueblo Board of Water Works the Southeastern Water Conservancy District and the City of Fountain Pueblo West joined the effort in 2015 and contributed $140,000 toward the land purchase in 2021 The reservoir will have 207 acre-feet of storage available to Pueblo West An authority will be formed to oversee the project when the reservoir is built in the future The board also heard a report on a proposed lease agreement that will allow the nonprofit Grid Alternatives to build a community solar farm on a 7.5-acre portion of metro district property located a half-mile northeast of Walmart between East McCulloch and Industrial boulevards The ground array system would supply Black Hills Energy users resulting in a 20% to 30% savings on subscribers' electric bills Subscribers to the solar farm will be low-income and nonprofit customers Due to the significant need among Black Hills energy assistance program customers "essentially the energy will already be spoken for," Danforth said The lease will generate $5,250 in annual rent for the metro district and that payment will increase slightly each year during the 20-year lease period Construction is expected to begin in 2026 if the board approves the plan at its May 12 meeting District office purchases moving forward this weekPueblo West Metro District Manager Christian Heyn said the district will move ahead with two purchases this week The district currently is renting the building at 63 E An additional office building will be constructed on the vacant lot to accommodate district office and meeting room needs More: 'Clown show': Pueblo West Metro Board president resigns over building purchase talks is a general contractor who was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board a year ago the Pueblo Regional Building Board of Appeals the Pueblo West Committee of Architecture and the Pueblo West Metro Board of Directors The fire department because of the safety of our community The pool is second (as the board is) working on saving money from other avenues to get us to the point of getting a pool that we can use year-round Smart growth (where we) continue to purchase water as it becomes available and conserve the resources we already have What do you see as the biggest issue Pueblo West is facing and how would you seek to address that issue if elected?Working together as a board for the community (We need to) turn the page on moving forward on the issues that come before the board I have served in several leadership roles for both public and private sectors The main reason I chose to run for the metro board is because I believe strongly in advocating for our community as we navigate through the challenges facing us I believe the aquatic center should be our priority It’s time to figure out how to move forward and make it happen The aquatic center will provide recreational activities year-round Growth is inevitable in Pueblo West and we need to make sure our focus is on infrastructure as we look towards securing our future What do you see as the biggest issue Pueblo West is facing and how would you seek to address that issue if elected?Water is an obvious issue here I will work to make sure we secure the water resources necessary for our community When we work together towards a sustainable solution The ability to collaborate and build relationships is key to our success as a community is retired from the military and currently works for Black Hills Energy To bring integrity and a fresh set of eyes the community can rely on (I want) to present outside-of-the-box ideas that will help the Pueblo West community continue to grow and flourish well into the future (I want Pueblo West to be a) place where faith The fire department provides more services to the community than just fire safety The fire department has more of a direct impact on the community I currently don't think the pool is a good investment of Pueblo West’s public funds I believe the pool will be a drain on our community and our valuable water resources I believe most of Pueblo West's growth has been mostly residential with our business district stagnating or waning I favor moderate growth and growth that makes sense I am in favor of obtaining and securing water resources that will help facilitate the future growth of our community What do you see as the biggest issue Pueblo West is facing and how would you seek to address that issue if elected?I don't think there is just one big issue I think there are several items contributing to the issues Pueblo West faces: water resource management conflict of interest deals being negotiated and a lack of transparency from the metro district to the community (I will address it) by being a man of integrity and being open and transparent with the community about issues (I will) find ways to get the community involved with some of the major decisions the board faces and develop a more cooperative and cohesive relationship with Pueblo and Pueblo County A Pueblo West woman was sentenced to 60 days in jail and four years of probation last week for beating and strangling her 6-year-old stepson last June Susan Davidson, 36, accepted a plea deal on Jan. 3 in which she pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree assault and one count of misdemeanor child abuse Davidson's attorney asked the court to impose probation with no jail time The attorney argued that his client had no previous criminal record and had a child less than a year old at home a deputy district attorney for the 10th Judicial District asked for 60 days of jail to be imposed as a condition of Davidson's probation The deputy DA presented images in court of the child's face after police arrived on the scene; dried blood and scratch marks could be seen on the child's face red marks and bruising were seen on the child's neck and a red mark was also apparent on the child's forehead "She spent slightly less than 24 hours in jail," the deputy DA said "This will affect the child possibly for years to come." told the court in a victim impact statement that "when you go through a divorce you trust that when they are with the other parent your kids will be treated just as well as when they are with you." she "did not want to know" how she treated them behind closed doors The incident occurred in the backyard of a residence and was reported by a neighbor who told police she witnessed Davidson strangling the child according to a Pueblo County Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit including the 6-year-old boy and his two sisters were significantly traumatized by the event She has had full custody for the past nine months because of Davidson's actions and has had to "attempt to heal hearts she did not break." "My son didn't have a choice that day," she said "My daughters didn't have a choice to watch their brother be beaten They still come into my room at night because they had nightmares about it." Davidson did not apologize or express remorse; she simply told Judge Timothy O'Shea she "took the case seriously" and told the court she didn't want to be separated from her baby O'Shea imposed a sentence of 60 days in jail with two years of probation for the misdemeanor child abuse count to run concurrently with four years of probation for the count of second-degree assault While the defense asked for a stay of execution on the jail sentence at least while Davidson was still breastfeeding the prosecution objected after speaking with the victim's family she can pump breast milk from jail," the deputy DA said O'Shea granted Davidson one week to arrange care for her own children before turning herself into the Pueblo County jail In an interview with the Chieftain after the hearing Paseka said no sentence would have been long enough for her and her kids Paseka also stated she was not surprised that she did not receive an apology for Davidson's actions She was laughing minutes before she went into the room today," Paseka said More on Pueblo court news: Trial begins for Pueblo woman accused of causing 2-year-old's death in 2023 subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com The Pueblo West Cyclones co-op lacrosse team has emerged as one of the top teams in Class 4A this year and that's due in large part to the core of eight seniors who have worked tirelessly over the past four years to establish a culture and identity "It's all coming from our senior class,” said head coach Tyler Torres and many played big minutes for us as freshmen at the varsity level and they've continued to do nothing but get better and that is the heart and soul of our team we're riding the high of those seniors and what they've been able to do.”  More: 'Play together, for each other': Pueblo South baseball aiming for playoffs this season What the team has done in the offseason has accumulated to this moment and they are trying to take full advantage of what they have “We have an excellent group this year,” Torres said and I have the utmost confidence that we can do some damage in there.”  One of the challenges that the team is facing this year is their league It is considered one of the easier leagues to play in and the Cyclones are doing what they are supposed to do by beating the teams in front of them rankings can be affected by the league as well so it's not helping us with RPI,” Torres said “These are games that we're supposed to win this year.”  The main thing the team needs to do to continue its winning ways is to maintain its focus for the rest of the season With some crucial games still ahead of them the top 10 ranked team could be looking at potentially cracking the top five and having a great setup for the playoffs “I think if we win those games ahead of us which are going to be a playoff-like atmosphere I think it will be huge for us,” Torres said Those last few games are going to be big for us going into playoffs The team is filled with seniors who have worked their hardest in order to get to this point And while there have been plenty of leaders who have stood out on this team one player in particular has come on the scene and provided a big boost to the team's offense More: 'Success is an expectation': How Centennial girls soccer is looking to stay on top and he is always in the right spot,” Torres said "But his being effective has opened up our offense so much That's just making everybody's job easier when you can be a threat for anyone on the field.”  The team is currently 10-2 and 5-0 in 4A Metro play on year with their only two losses coming from two of the top ten teams in Class 4A in Air Academy and Lutheran Shah's The American Gyro returned to its roots Jan opening up a 66-seat Greek fusion eatery in Pueblo West the very community where the business started as a food truck the brand new restaurant is the product of 13 months of construction work "We've never built anything from the ground up," said Andrew Shah "I probably did not think I would be doing this eight or nine years ago when we started with the one truck Shah and his father Mack Shah opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant at 940 Eagleridge Blvd. in Pueblo in 2018 Andrew Shah has recently enlisted his wife to help and the couple have a total of 13 employees working for the two restaurants "I will be on the grill quite a bit in the beginning," Andrew Shah said "The original classic gyro with tzatziki sauce is our bread and butter but we have more than 20 different items," Andrew Shah said "Our green chile gyro is a really popular one," thanks to the abundant supply of locally-grown Pueblo chiles One of the most popular menu items of late is the Mack Daddy It is a burger that features a special sauce "We have all sorts of options like a Philly cheese chicken Shawarma and the smash burgers are selling like crazy Breakfast burritos have been popular and you can get them with green chile or white gravy," Andrew Shah said Those who don't fancy pita or bread can get their toppings on fries or rice What to know about the new Shah'sHours at both Shah's locations are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The Pueblo West Shah's also features a pickup window for customers who place online or call-in orders Door Dash delivery options also are available. To find out more, visit the restaurants' Facebook page at facebook.com/shahskabob More: These 5 new restaurants are set to open in Pueblo in 2025 The Pueblo West Cyclones girls soccer team is finding its stride at the right time of the season the Cyclones have rattled off a 4-1-1 record in their last six games In a tough league consisting of Class 5A and Class 4A teams in the CSML Metro league the Cyclones are looking to try and make some noise while staying in the mix for a playoff berth “I think we've had a good mixture of some upper-class leadership with a good influx of young talent that has come to play here last year,” Cyclones coach Tim Decker said “We also have a few good key freshmen that have come in this year.”  the team feels like it still has the right mix of players to win There is still a ton of talent on the team and sometimes it could be hard to lead that kind of talent who have gone through the program for the past four seasons More: Goals, goals, goals. Fans, it's time to vote for the top goal scorer in Pueblo girls soccer those three girls have stepped up and helped shape this team into a competitive team One key to their success this year is their strength of schedule in non-league games The Cyclones set themselves up to challenge themselves all year while still putting together games they can win “I think we've done well playing in our non-league games “Those are all teams that year in and year out are competing for a state championship I think having a tough non-league schedule helps get the girls ready I think we can compete and play with anybody.”  sometimes a spark of life happens that results in wins and progress for the team This season is no different as the Cyclones have a pair of young guns on their wings that have emerged to give them the boost they need all year long More: Resurging Pueblo East girls soccer team hoping to finish season strong "There are two girls that actually stepped up for us and they're both sophomores Mia Vialpando and Taylor Kottenstette,” Decker said “Both of these girls came from not playing a lot of our minutes last year to being key starters and they're able to join and help us push numbers offensively against good teams wing backs that can play up and down the field and never get tired and these two girls can do a tremendous job at that.”  The Cyclones are 7-4-1 and 2-1 in league games They have three games remaining in the season including a matchup on Thursday night on the road against Fountain Fort Carson If they wish to make a playoff run this year they will need to finish off the season with a clean record Puebloans may not have heard of Cream N Bean yet but the owner of the new ice cream and coffee shop inside Pueblo's Dillon Drive Walmart hopes to expand to many other Walmart Supercenters Located at 4200 Dillon Drive on the grocery side of Walmart right next to the Academy Bank branch The shop offers homemade rolled ice cream and Columbian coffee plus a variety of other beverages and their daughter and son-in-law Bailey and Roger Hines offer a different kind of ice cream and coffee shop where homemade ice cream is spread in a thin layer and then rolled on a cold plate 20 degrees below zero The shop also offers its own blend of medium-roast coffee that is shipped directly from a farm in Colombia "We make the ice cream base in-house using our own recipe It is made fresh every day and there are no preservatives so it is the healthiest way to eat ice cream," Joe Giovinazzo told the Chieftain The base ice cream is added to a cold plate and extra ingredients are "rolled" in like fresh strawberries while the customer watches the transformation The result features curled-up spiral rolls of ice cream that are as artistic as they are tasty Pueblo's favorite treat so far is the strawberry cheesecake featuring fresh strawberries vanilla ice cream and a graham cracker topping Each week the shop offers four new specials or customers can create their own ice cream delight by choosing from ingredients on hand "We hope customers will check back to see the specials and continue to try different flavors Business has been really good so far and we have several regulars," Joe Giovinzanno explained The biggest hurdle for the new business has been brand recognition plus those who spot the shop after waiting in line to check out their groceries may not have time to explore what's inside The house blend coffee is offered in lattes slushes and lemonades available for those who aren't coffee drinkers The family plans to open its Cream N Bean inside the Pueblo West Walmart The dream for the family is to one day see the Cream N Bean brand as plentiful inside Walmart stores as Starbucks is in Target stores The Giovinzannos moved to Pueblo 1 1/2 years ago They operated a similar rolled ice cream shop in Oklahoma but the location wasn't ideal "When I saw that Walmart had an opening I thought that would be a great location that has a lot of traffic It took about eight months to get everything ironed out with Walmart," Giovinzanno said Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Find out more by visiting the Cream N Bean Facebook page More: Cactus Flower named back-to-back Slopper Tour champion in Pueblo Editor's note: This story was updated to include additional information from the Colorado Department of Corrections A Pueblo West man has been sentenced to nine months of unsupervised probation after assaulting sheriff's deputies at the 2024 Colorado State Fair. who was a correctional service trade supervisor for the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) at the time of the assault all other charges were dismissed by the district attorney's office The plea agreement stipulated that Hargis would agree to a sentence deferred for a period determined by the court In addition to standard terms and conditions of probation Hargis was ordered to complete an anger management course and provide proof of completion Hargis is no longer employed by the state corrections department Hargis was arrested Sept. 1 on suspicion of two counts of second-degree assault on a peace officer, third-degree assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct, according to a September news release from the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office Deputies providing security for the Colorado State Fair responded to a report of a fight at approximately 8:35 p.m One deputy was attempting to restrain one of the men Another deputy arrived on the scene and while both deputies attempted to put Hargis in hand restraints Hargis continued to resist and kick at deputies even after they managed to put him in hand restraints and deputies were able to get him to comply as he was being transported to the hospital for routine clearance Hargis allegedly began resisting again and spat on a deputy Deputies were eventually able to get Hargis to comply with orders More in crime news: Is the Colorado Legislature responsible for Pueblo's crime? Leaders and lawmakers weigh in subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain atsubscribe.chieftain.com A Pueblo West dentist who fought for an elderly patient's insurance claim to be paid reported a positive outcome and paid it forward Feb 24 by making a donation to Pueblo Community College Dr. Taylor Ross of  Pueblo West Neighborhood Dental and Implants said he went to bat for a patient whose teeth cleaning claim was denied by Humana The 83-year-old patient came to him in December for a cleaning during which Ross and his staff realized the man was struggling to clean his teeth properly due to limited use of his hands When Humana denied the claim based on the company's finding of "no evidence" for the cleaning He posted the "no evidence" pictures on the digital billboard outside his office at 120 S along with the name of Humana's former CEO Bruce Broussard and his 2023 earnings of $16.3 million Ross told the Chieftain he changed the sign to display an American flag after Humana agreed to pay the claim Although the claim was just a few hundred dollars he kicked the donation amount up to $5,000 director of the college's dental hygiene program and Julie Rodriguez chief executive officer for the Pueblo Community College Foundation The Chieftain initially reported on Ross's frustrations Feb. 14. The story was picked up by USA Today When Humana officials got wind of the story they proactively reached out to Ross to resolve the issue "The past few days we've heard from people from all over the country  Thousands of Americans united in support of our Pueblo West neighbor and my phone has been buzzing non-stop," Ross reported "The elderly gentleman's claim was approved," he said "Thank you to the individuals at Humana who made this right." “Humana is committed to meeting our members' health needs while fostering positive supportive relationships with healthcare providers," said Kelli LeGaspi director of Medicare and Medicaid external communications for Humana Why Ross made the donation to PCC's dental programRoss said a main barrier to some patients getting teeth cleanings is financial so he wanted to be able to help them get free cleanings He hopes those who struggle to pay for routine care can turn to the college's dental hygiene program for help The college offers low-cost routine cleanings that are $25 for children or $30 for adults The most a patient would ever pay would be $110 for a full set of X-rays and a deep cleaning very far," in covering those cleanings for Pueblo residents Ross said the donation also helps PCC students meet degree requirements by allowing them to work on a variety of patients who exhibit a range of dental hygiene needs so they're better prepared for the workforce Blasi agreed the students and their patients both will benefit "They can become longtime patients if they need that preventative care," she said Blasi said the two-year program has 26 students and they can work on patients, under the direction of licensed professionals, Monday through Friday. Find out more at pueblocc.edu/Dental-Clinics "The healthcare and insurance systems have touched so many — often negatively — but together we can do big things and make a difference," Ross said More: Fed up dentist fights back after elderly man's teeth cleaning claim denied Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via X at x.com/tracywumps. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com PUEBLO COUNTY — The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office is asking for help identifying a man connected to a theft from the Walmart in Pueblo West who has been identified but who's name has not been released was with the man when they left the store with a shopping cart full of items the two left in a red SUV with an unknown temporary tag If you recognize the man or the vehicle, you are asked to call the sheriff's office at (719)583-6250. If you want to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at (719)542-7867 Pueblo is gearing up for the "wearing o' the green" to showcase its Irish pride in honor of St Here's what to know about the six local celebrations on tap for the holiday St. Patrick was heralded as the patron saint of Ireland for introducing Christianity there in the fifth century. The celebration in his honor coincides with the day of his death, according to History.com While the Irish have observed the day as a religious holiday for more than 1,000 years, it is believed to have first been celebrated in the United States in New York City in 1762, according to the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery website which points out that today the holiday has evolved into more of a celebration of Irish pride History.com indicates that the holiday falls during Lent a traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage was permitted is a popular go-to place for traditional Irish food all year but the restaurant is particularly busy the week leading up to and including March 17 the restaurant roasts and braises corned beef for 10 hours before it is served with cabbage "We have a lot of Irish comfort food like Irish Coddle," an Irish sausage and potato stew and "Irish Boxty (potato) pancakes," Sanborn explained Shamrock also offers vegetarian versions of popular Irish dishes and a traditional pot roast Shamrock also sells lots of fish and chips and fish sandwiches during Lent Shamrock will host a stroll-through bag pipe performer Friday through Monday March 14-17; an expanded Irish brunch from 10 a.m The free goodies "tend to go fast so we try to ration them out," Sanborn said with a laugh Patrick's Day celebration starting at 11:30 a.m The brewery will be serving up green beer all weekend long and food trucks will be on hand to satisfy hunger cravings Live bands will include Gypsy performing from 6:30-10:30 p.m. March 15; and Mark's Midnight Carnival Show from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Patrick's Day during the Pueblo West Chamber of Commerce Shamrock Stroll March 14-17 March 14-16 with corned beef and cabbage at $14.99 a plate March 17 with corned beef and cabbage at $8 a plate green beer on tap and other drink specials will offer a $15 Reuben sandwich with a pint special for $15 plus Irish-themed drink specials starting at noon daily with corned beef and cabbage at $10 a plate Baldrick's event is expected to raise up to $40,000 for childhood cancer research grants at the Pueblo West Veterans of Foreign Wars Post The event will feature more than two dozen teams and individuals shedding their locks for the cause A total of 14 local children who have experienced or are currently being treated for childhood cancer will be honored guests To donate, go to stbaldricks.org and type Pueblo in the search. Patrick's Day Event at Habitat for HumanityHabitat for Humanity of Pueblo is set to host a "Shamrocking Good Time" and raise money for local affordable family housing from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets for the bottle drawing will be sold for $1 each Find out more at hfhpueblo.org Participants are urged to put on their best Irish attire for the breakfast fundraiser from 7-10 a.m. The event will be held in the dining room at SRDA Irish music will be included in the festivities The menu will feature bangers (Irish sausage,) scrambled eggs The suggested donation is $12 to benefit the agency's programs More: Like riding a bike: Former Great Divide Bikes employee returns to shop as owner Fort Carson field artillery training began Feb producing loud booms that can be heard from north Pueblo or Pueblo West Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team will conduct field artillery training from now through March 7 An increase in noise and dust can be expected throughout the day south of the main post "The training is required to validate field artillery crews and is a regular part of 2SBCT's training cycle," Fort Carson officials said in a statement "Fort Carson is dedicated to being good neighbors and will continue to inform the public about training events that may affect surrounding communities We will continue to listen to our community and work through any noise issues that may arise We strive to balance our training requirements with respecting our neighboring communities." Noise complaints can be directed to the Fort Carson Public Affairs Office at 719-526-9849 More: Man found guilty of vehicular homicide, manslaughter in death of former sheriff's deputy Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @jayreutter1. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com Corrections and Clarifications: This article has been updated to reflect the correct spelling of former Humana CEO Bruce Broussard's name and to reflect that he left his role as CEO of Humana in 2024 What started off as a routine cleaning for an elderly man who has trouble using his hands has turned into a Pueblo West dentist publicly denouncing a "significantly egregious" wrong perpetrated by the insurance company that has refused to pay Dr. Taylor Ross of Pueblo West Neighborhood Dental and Implants has worked in the community for eight years and has spent more than three decades in the profession When an 83-year-old patient came to him in December for a cleaning Ross and his staff realized the man was struggling to clean his teeth properly "So we took pictures of his teeth and then cleaned them promised to cover this cost completely as part of his policy," Ross told the Chieftain So when Humana denied the claim based on the company's finding of "no evidence" for the cleaning He has posted the "no evidence" pictures on the digital billboard outside his office at 120 S but this is so significantly egregiously wrong to deny this claim Cleanings are very small ticket items that range between $80 and $200 depending on the extent of work that is done," he explained "Standard insurance pays 50% to 80% of the cost for cleanings Humana said they would pay 100%," Ross said "The work was not extravagant and it's the core function of what dentists do." those who don't get regular cleanings can face the need for crowns or implants that "will be in the four digits pretty easily — costing thousands and thousands of dollars," he said 21 statement to the Chieftain the company has "proactively reached out to Dr we can share that all Humana Medicare Advantage plans with dental coverage include two routine dental cleanings per year at no cost to the member," the statement read Claim denials from insurance companies are happening more and more "especially as the claim processing system is becoming more automated." "Sometimes there is no person looking at the x-rays or pictures and it is programmed to automatically produce denials," he said "I understand the need to guard against fraud and the system is complex but there is a confluence of very different needs What is the balance between the public good and the commercial/profit motive?" Ross said the system is not working for this particular patient and there are patients like him "in all of our communities." "He can't use his hands well so we just want to help clean his teeth so he can keep them another two four years — it's very reasonable," Ross explained Why Ross is sharing the story"Ten thousand people drive by that billboard every day I won't take it down until Humana pays the claim for this elderly local man," Ross said The sign is in the third month of putting Humana on blast I'll donate it to Pueblo Community College's Dental Hygiene program where I sit on their advisory board," he said "Stories like this strike a chord across the country The system is not working very well — the insurance companies deny confuse — all those tactics and make it so we find it so difficult we give up," Ross explained a few patients have asked Ross about it and several have voiced how frustrating it has been dealing with dental and medical insurance claims This story was updated to add a statement from Humana More: Pueblo Community College completes $6.3 million renovation for dental hygiene program Could the beloved Fourth of July Wet Parade be coming back to Pueblo West this Independence Day The Pueblo West Metro District Board learned Feb but the return of the event won't be cheap Pueblo West Parks and Recreation Director Carol Cosby said the district's events committee has determined security costs likely would range between $28,125 to hire one security guard per 160 people in attendance and up to $70,000 for one security guard per 60 people in attendance To prevent pedestrians from entering the street during the parade she said the cost to line the parade route with barricades would be an estimated $8,600 "It would be very expensive to do the event safely," she said "If you factor in the cost of fireworks at $35,000 the total cost would be $72,725 for standard liability coverage or $113,600 for ideal liability coverage." The board canceled last year's wet parade after the district was unable to find a security company willing to work the event a "Spray in the Park" event was held at Civic Center Park Cosby said the committee also is considering whether to shorten the parade route or expand the Spray in the Park event to include food trucks and a live band leading up to the fireworks show The district also will ask Pueblo County officials if they would like to help sponsor the event A majority of the board voted Monday to move on from an ongoing dispute about what to do for permanent office space. The district board has been without a permanent home for six years since a March 2019 bomb cyclone weather event led to its 109 E. Industrial Ave. office building being condemned.  The board voted 3-2 to move forward with a contract to purchase the office building it currently leases at 63 E The board also voted 4-1 to purchase a vacant lot next door at 79 E The plan calls for constructing a new $1.5 million 5,000- to 7,000-square-foot building on the vacant lot to supplement office and board room space and eliminate the need for the current practice of renting two buildings The dispute has centered around the fact that Sam Proal he has since obtained a declaration from the Colorado Secretary of State's Office confirming he has no ownership interest in the building Board Secretary Bill Vickers argued the purchase "goes beyond financial gain," and Board Vice President Joe Mahaney argued it would result in "substantial gain to a family member if we buy the building." Board Treasurer Brian Axworthy argued "It does not matter who owns the building as long as we are not paying over the fair market value or terminate the contract," said District Manager Christian Heyn we can move on and put the conflict to bed," Axworthy said More: Pueblo West board continues haggling over a permanent administration building This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page (KRDO) - Arrest records have revealed some graphic details surrounding the arrest of a couple from Pueblo West They stand accused of several counts of child abuse Documents explain that school officials noticed a young boy with physical injuries sparking a five-month-long investigation before their arrest *WARNING: The following details and images are graphic in nature* 33-year-old Ashtan Ashley was charged with seven counts of Child Abuse for Knowingly or Recklessly Causing Injury while 27-year-old Ryson Ashley was given the same seven charges with an additional eighth charge of Child Abuse due to negligence It all stems back to October 10, 2024, when the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) was called out to Liberty Point Elementary School after staff reported visible signs of abuse on the young boy. Arrest records say the boy had told authorities that the night beforehand Ashtan Ashley called his name multiple times to come inside he says she grabbed him by the shoulder and allegedly spanked him with a belt repeatedly The child continued on to say they were hit in the head and face and also allegedly showed the deputy injuries to their arms A deputy examining the boy that morning at a hospital said they could see the outline of a belt specifically on the boy's back and left arm There were also numerous marks where it appeared that fingernails were dug into the boy's skin on his shoulder The boy later told detectives that the only reason the two stopped 'whooping' him The arrest documents explain that one of the school's administrators went over to the boy that morning saying 'I know in the past you told me some of these things were accidents but were they really accidents?' to which the boy shook his head [no] The school employee asked 'Why didn't you tell me?' and the boy said 'Because [the Ashley's] told me they didn't want to get in trouble The boy went on to claim that he had been kicked out of the house at night after the alleged beating He explained that he was forced to take a frigid ice bath that caused his teeth to chatter before being told to sit outside in just underwear before then being told to come back in The ice baths were something that had happened in the past as well the boy says that they fell asleep on the floor of Ashtan and Ryson's room Upon waking up he says he took another ice bath and then was kicked out before resuming realizing he would be late That's when a nearby neighbor stopped in their car to ask the boy if he needed a ride tells KRDO13 today that she's shocked to learn that the boy had been the alleged victim of abuse I was worried somebody else besides me might pick him up he seemed like he was okay." explained Ronquillo thinking back on the October morning last year removed from that situation." she later added he says he told administrators what had happened and then he was taken to the hospital After speaking with detectives and being treated at the hospital the boy was then placed in the care of a foster family in Pueblo West Detectives then shifted their focus to the Ashley's finding Ryson and speaking to him that same day at the home Detectives poured through the house collecting evidence finding numerous pieces of clothing in laundry hampers or in different rooms throughout the residence and clothes that were still very damp or wet consistent with having taken an ice bath in them Documents say that Ryson was told by Ashtan that the boy got in trouble on the night of October 9 Ryson says when he got home from his night security shift around 6:17 a.m he noticed the boy had a red mark or line under his left eye Ryson said the line was small and he ultimately decided to keep the boy home from school because he didn't want him to get made fun of that Ryson repeatedly claimed not to have been home at the time of the alleged beating by Ashtan the boy's timeline of events placed it as happening earlier than when Ryson would have left for his work shift that started at 10 p.m Ryson added that Ashtan has never used a belt as a form of punishment in the past as they both usually discipline the boy by putting him in time out or by taking privileges away He said that Ashtan told him she caught the boy lying about stacking chairs in the backyard to try and hop over their fence and that she swung at him with the belt trying to hit his butt but he moved and she was unsure where she hit him He first claimed she only hit him once with the belt Ryson would later concede that she may have swung more than two times Ryson said they 'stopped doing it because the school said it was borderline child abuse.' Ryson explained that they would fill up bowls in the kitchen with ice water and dunk their face in it and see how long they could hold their breath He said they did that as a substitute since their backyard pool had 'popped' He added it was an activity they would do on the really hot days in the Summer Ryson stated that with his overnight work shift and panicked after realizing the boy was gone saying it was unlike him to leave the house but suspected it was because he was bored with his privileges taken away Ryson told detectives that he had previously had contact with the El Paso County Department of Human Services while living in Colorado Springs because his family would call in welfare checks and claim he wasn't taking care of the boy which he argued was because his family didn't like the women he dated He also admitted that 'a few years ago' he had a PTSD moment that led to him attempting suicide landing him in a mental health facility for a week as he was drunk and dealing with a divorce He says he had to fight with Fountain Police and El Paso County DHS to get the boy back into his custody after that Ryson later explained that has has upwards of 22 pills he has to take every day It wasn't until October 11 that detectives were able to speak with Ashtan She admitted to 'swinging' at the boy after seeing the chairs stacked outside and explained that she felt so bad that she apologized to him and they watched a movie and 'cuddled' she said 'the [boy] fell asleep on the floor I gave Ryson a kiss and then I went to work.' Detectives noted that her timing of the events that night including when she saw the chairs stacked outside She went on to affirm that Ryson didn't take part in the 'whooping' two days prior and denied that they had him take the ice bath which was something they did a long time ago but said they had stopped Ultimately the evidence proved to be enough upon review by Child Protection Team members The two have both posted their $2,500 bonds since their arrest and are due in court separately before the end of the month Tyler is a reporter for KRDO. Learn more about him here. KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KRDO Jobs | FCC Applications | KRDO FCC Public File | KRDO FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information | Contest Rules The spring sports season is just about to come to an end as we head into postseason action This week's Athletes of the Week in Pueblo are made up of some clutch hitting and pitching big goals and impressive feats on the track Each week, the Chieftain recognizes the top student-athletes from area schools to highlight those who have performed at a high level. The Chieftain sports staff selects them. Coaches can nominate players by emailing cabdelmalek@gannett.com before Wednesday night Pueblo Chieftain readers can now vote for their favorite high school athletes at the newspaper's website The poll is located at the bottom of the article and closes at midnight Friday This poll will close on Friday at midnight Here are the Players of the Week for April 25-May 1 More: 'Just keep competing': How Pueblo Centennial baseball is turning around a lost season baseball Burbidge had a great day against Hoehne as the Thunderbolts had a double-header against the Farmers and came away with two victories Burbidge was on the mound and threw six innings with 13 strikeouts and gave up zero runs he went 3-4 with three doubles and two runs scored along with an RBI baseball Mares had a great game for the Cyclones against Fountain-Fort Carson Mares went 2-2 from the plate with an RBI single he was also on the mound and through five shutout innings striking out five along the way Dunlap had a great game for the Colts co-op team as they closed out the regular season with a win over Colorado Springs Christian 3-0 Molina had a big game for the Colts as they were able to get past Pueblo Central giving up only four hits while striking out eight along the way baseball Sisneros had a great game for the Eagles as they got past Thomas Jefferson 11-1 He went 2-3 from the plate with a double and a triple he scored a run and knocked in two RBIs as well Fernandez had a great game for the Eagles as they defeated Pueblo Central 6-0 She had two goals and an assist in the victory helping the Eagles to their ninth win on the season surpassing their win total from the past three years combined Hernandez had a great game for the Hornets as they got past Pueblo Centennial 10-0 track and field Golden proved why she is one of the top hurdlers in the city this past week as she took home first place in the 100-meter hurdles at the Cougar Classic Invitational She also finished third in the 200-meter dash track and field Pearson was stellar for the Colts team at the South-Central League Pueblo County Championships He took home first place in the 1600-meter race and the 3200-meter race as well Falletta is getting into championship form as she swept through the S-CL League Pueblo County Championships She took home first place in the 100-meter dash Trujillo is proving he is one of the most consistent shot putters in the city with another first-place finish at this year's S-CL Pueblo County Championships Sandoval had a great day at the S-CL Pueblo County Championships She took first place in the discus with a distance of 102-7 and in the shot put with a distance of 34-10.25 More: The dream has come true. Pueblo East grad Kain Medrano was picked in the NFL draft A 63-year-old woman was rescued from the frigid waters of a frozen pond in Pueblo West Jan. 21 after she fell through the ice while trying to rescue her dog. Her rescue marked the second of its kind at the same pond in just over a year Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Pueblo West firefighters were called to Cattail Crossing Pond the woman was in the water but was hanging on to a section of ice,” PCSO officials said in a Jan “Pueblo West firefighters were able to get to the woman and put a rescue rope around her and firefighters along with a deputy pulled the woman to safety.” The woman told deputies her dog was chasing geese onto the ice and fell through at which point she attempted to rescue the animal and also fell through and the woman was taken to a local hospital as a precaution due to the extremely cold temperature The rescue marks the second time someone fell through the ice while trying to rescue their dog at Cattail Crossing in just over a year a man fell into the icy pond while attempting to rescue his dog who had similarly been chasing waterfowl and fell through the ice The dog in that incident managed to escape the water on its own but the owner was rescued by Pueblo West firefighters who executed a risky nighttime operation The man was treated and later released from a local hospital PCSO officials advised members of the public to be cautious about going out on ice “as it can be unpredictable and unstable.” but underlying layers could be compromised and pose a risk for anyone walking on the ice,” PCSO officials wrote put them on a leash to prevent them from wandering out onto ice If your pet falls through the ice or if you see someone fall through ice do not rush out to help them as you may fall through as well Call 9-1-1 as emergency personnel are trained and better equipped to assist with rescues “If you have access to a rope or a flotation device try to throw it out to them and assist them from the shore until help arrives Try to remain calm and reserve your energy get your arms onto the ice and kick your feet to help lift you onto the ice and then roll to safety.” More local news: Pueblo sees back-to-back days of record-low temperatures. When will things warm up? Chieftain Editor Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on X Subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com the Cyclones of Pueblo West High School hosted the Eagles of Heritage High School in the Class 4A CHSAA state playoffs quarterfinals the Cyclones emerged victorious 42-28 over the Eagles thanks to a big day from quarterback Gavin Lockett and some key plays on the defensive side of the ball More: Pueblo Central football defeats Lutheran to advance to CHSAA Class 3A quarterfinal "The mindset every week is to do whatever it takes to win,” quarterback Gavin Lockett said Just getting that 'W' is then the thing that matters You can worry about your body and injuries later The Cyclones came out the gate aggressively scoring two touchdowns early in the first quarter did not go out quietly and made Pueblo West earn every yard and found a way in the end,” said Cyclones head coach Clint Buderus but Pueblo West’s defense was there to answer the call every time “They gave up some big plays that we didn't want to we got the two picks to kind of seal it for us.”  The game was back-and-forth between the two teams but in the end the Cyclones got a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter and the defense sealed the victory the Cyclones were led by their star quarterback Lockett He had four rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown to help the team build a big lead They have some good players,” Lockett said So primarily we had to keep it on the ground and just trust our O-line They did an amazing job locking in for me and moving the chains the defense stepped up for the Cyclones and sealed the victory with an interception helping the Cyclones advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2019 “I don't know what the environment's like in the semis I've never made it past the second round,” Lockett said I’ve been working towards this since I was a little kid But Montrose is an extremely tough place to play They're going to shove it on you and it's tough The Cyclones are on the road next week to face off against Montrose This will be the second meeting between these two teams this season More: Volleyball season wraps up, plus All-Conference teams announced for S-CL and CSML The Wildcats were on the road for their second-round matchup against the no Pueblo Central went down early in the first half 24-7 They attempted to mount a comeback in the second half but the lead was too much for them to overcome and they would lose 34-23 Quarterback Genaro Pino had one rushing touchdown and one passing touchdown Running back Aiden Hassoldt also rushed for a touchdown The Wildcats finished the season 9-3 overall Having spent nearly six years without permanent office space the Pueblo West Metro District board of directors is nearing a consensus on a place for workers to call home The district has been without a permanent office building since a March 2019 bomb cyclone weather event led to its 109 E. Industrial Ave. office building being condemned. The district has since leased space at several locations and considered building a new office or buying existing office space Twice the board has eyed the building at 713 E. Spaulding Ave., having first taken a look at the IntelliTec College site in 2020 The 16,874-square-foot building is listed for sale at $3.5 million and would cost about $1.7 million to remodel for the district's purposes Former board member Jami Baker-Orr said she doesn't think it is financially beneficial for the district to consider that site During the public comment session of Monday's meeting she urged the board to take a "common sense approach," by spending less money on office space and focusing on building an aquatic center An alternative plan floated by Heyn would have the district purchasing the current office building it is using at 63 E Spaulding for $65,000 and constructing a new 5,000- to 7,000-square-foot building on that lot which could be connected to the current office Brian Axworthy and Bill Vickers agreed that would be the most fiscally responsible approach Board Vice President Joe Mahaney disagreed saying "There are so many things wrong — the parking is unacceptable the restrooms are unacceptable." Mahaney also made it clear he didn't think the district should buy a building owned by Sam Proal who is the son of Board President Doug Proal Doug Proal has abstained from votes that impact the decision but has since obtained a declaration from the Colorado Secretary of State's Office confirming he has no ownership interest in the building "I don't know how many times I've said I don't have any ownership in the building and don't stand to gain financially from its sale so we need to get off of that," Doug Proal said "It makes sense to spend less than $3 million on an office building when we made a promise to our constituents to build an aquatic pool." The district has worked toward building a new swimming pool since voters approved a 2016 ballot issue to allow the district to keep excess property tax revenues from 2017 to 2027 to construct the new pool The board also has set aside 30% of the marijuana excise tax funds the district has collected since 2019 and some conservation trust fund dollars building a war chest of about $2.9 million for the project so far The cost of an aquatic center today would be about $15 million while the cost of a simple indoor pool that is 50 meters long and six lanes wide would be about $8.9 million After the majority of board members voiced support for buying the building at 63 E Heyn said he would work toward putting together a contract for the board to consider at a future meeting the board voted unanimously to pay $1.5 million out of a Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority loan to pay for the cured-in-place lining of 35,000 feet of clay sewer pipe The project was completed in October and also addressed a repair at one spot where the sewer line had fully collapsed The board also unanimously agreed to pay $489,669 for the design of four new water tanks to be planned by the civil engineering firm of Short The potable water storage facility expansion design project initially targeted one tank at $198,702 but the board opted to expand it to four tanks to address the district's future need for water storage More: 3 metro district board seats are up for grabs in the 2025 Pueblo West election The Pueblo West Cyclones and the Pueblo Central Wildcats faced off this week in a key inner-city game between two of the top-tier teams in Pueblo Both teams started the season off in similar fashion Both came into the game with a .500 record and were starting to figure things out coach Sam Stump spoke about his teams' efforts this season More: No. 1 ranked Pueblo Central girls wrestling poised to bring home a title but in saying that we did play some tough teams,” Stump said I would rather come out and play tough teams and have some tough losses or close wins but at least we didn't come out and over-perform and then have a rough couple of games afterward.”  The Cyclones played a tough out-of-league schedule and because of that have positioned themselves to have to fight hard in their upcoming league season the team is still kind of getting to know themselves “It's good to know what we must work on going in for the second half It kind of seems like there's not a there's not a weak team in our league.”  Stump added that even if his team struggles here and there during the league season he hopes that the toughness of the league will help boost those losses One key to the Cyclones season will be the play of their freshman Ezekial Stump He is their primary scorer and currently leads a team that is a mix of youth and experience he's been our primary scorer and one of our top performers He puts in work to do what he does on the court,” Sam said so we are looking forward to the rest of the season.”  On the flip side of things is Pueblo Central They are coming off another great season but have lost a lot of talent and depth from a year ago They came out the gates hot but have since cooled off and we kind of hit the brakes about halfway through,” head coach of the Wildcats Bobby Tyler said a lot of sophomores on the varsity in there you have to be able to do different things Glenwood Springs and Widefield in overtime; however they have also had some impressive victories Pueblo Central’s team is relying on their youth and so far Darryll Davis is a freshman and when your point guard is a freshman More: Pueblo County Hockey seniors looking to make playoffs for first time as a group Tyler added his senior leadership is another key to their squad “Our leadership from Tavon Evans and Roger Martinez has been solid They're trying so hard to kind of coax those young guys along and get them in the right places,” Tyler said “Our juniors Darren (Hemphill) and Ladamien (Davis) are very solid and they're going to be good next year.”  Thursday night was another tough showing for the Wildcats who got down early to the Cyclones and were not able to mount a comeback The Wildcats will have to wait until next year to get their revenge on the inner-city rival From large commercial light shows at the Pueblo Zoo and Pueblo Riverwalk to impressive home displays in neighborhoods across town there are plenty of opportunities to take in some of Pueblo's coolest and most colorful spectacles of the holiday season Here are some of Pueblo's best light displays to check out in 2024 The Pueblo Riverwalk is transformed over Christmas with 32 acres of holiday lights which activate every night through mid-January around 6 p.m according to the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo Authority The holiday lighting display at the Pueblo Riverwalk is free and open to the public and "makes for the perfect family outing or date night activity," HARP officials told the Chieftain in 2023 "Take a walk around the channel and don’t forget to eat and shop at one of the many local businesses located on the Riverwalk." The Mahaffey family light show in Pueblo West is a well-established and beloved holiday tradition in Pueblo County that began in 2016 the family puts on an impressive light show and accepts donations of toys food and cash to be distributed by the Boys & Girls Club of Pueblo County for young people in need Showtimes are seven days a week from 5:30 to 10 p.m Guests are encouraged to roll up and tune their radios to 88.9 FM to enjoy holiday music synced with the lights display Using a Christmas tree as a central pillar and two trees on either end of the yard as supports lights cover the yard and house of the Maestas family in a dazzling canopy it's kind of got its own little theme: penguins and gnomes The display also features a nearly 13-foot-tall snowman above Maestas's garage which Maestas said he custom-built to fit over the peak of his house Maestas said the display was inspired by a carnival tent at a circus His 9-year-old daughter asked him how it stayed up with just one central pole I call my eldest daughter and said 'We've got a plan," Maestas recalled "We dug a few holes in the ground (and) put some sleeves in the ground so I could put in some temporary poles looking at us like "What are you doing?" he said Maestas said he's been doing a display for at least eight years since his daughter was very young "It used to be Mickey and Minnie Mouse because my kid was little The only thing I really did different this year was the light tent," he said Behling's residence on Parkhill Drive is one of four houses on Parkhill lit up with Christmas cheer and it's right off of Eagleridge Boulevard so a lot of people see it and stop," Behling told the Chieftain "The biggest reason I do this is because a long time ago someone left a card in my mail saying they really enjoyed the lights and make it a point to drive by my house every year; just some random person But that was motivation for me to do it every year everything is nice and bright and sparkly- lights everywhere He said he's been doing a display for about 20 years The "Setzer Light Spectacular" on Palmer Avenue features over 15,000 individual lights with over 6,600 on the roof of the house alone "We both used to work for Disneyworld down in Florida so neither of us know the meaning of moderation when it comes to Christmas Lights," Nicole Setzer said "He keeps trying to add bigger things every year we have a lot of Disney stuff incorporated we have an air traffic control tower on top of our garage and a 10-foot inflatable snowman in our driveway," she said The Setzers have been doing a display every year for the past seven years "It takes a lot of effort to make that display actually," he said Nicole Setzer added that the pair put up scaffolding to make roof access safer and easier while Ryan Setzer worked on the roof and the entire project takes two to three weeks every year to construct "He does everything that is above our heads because I am not a big fan of heights," Nicole Setzer said The ElectriCritters display at Pueblo Zoo claims to be the largest in southern Colorado There are only a handful more days to see the show B St is once again lit up with Christmas lights for the holidays The front of the building is lit with 75,000 LED blue and clear lights covering every window while last year the lights "danced" to a playlist of five songs that could be heard on the radio the light display is static this Christmas a Union Depot representative told the Chieftain More holiday things to do in Pueblo: Cute critters, Christmas concerts, a CultClassic movie and more things to do in Pueblo subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com While Pueblo County offers a variety of Easter events to celebrate with the family a traditional egg hunt may be overwhelming for children with special needs the third annual Easter Sensory Extravaganza is designed to accommodate those children and their families by creating an inclusive space for kids of all needs and abilities The third annual extravaganza will be held from 12:30 to 3 p.m at 270 West John Powell Boulevard in Pueblo West The event is organized by the Colorado Department of Regional Centers (CDRC) which offers comprehensive services and supports for adult individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities "We wanted to create an inclusive and sensory-friendly event for children and adults of all ages who may not be able to fully participate and enjoy a typical Easter egg hunt event," said Rose Campbell the event will feature over 45 booths providing information on things like home health travel options for individuals with disabilities Each booth and informational table will offer a sensory-friendly activity geared toward "supporting attendees of all needs and abilities." this event provides a color walk where attendees are encouraged to wear white shirts which will be decorated with colorful chalk and confetti as they walk," CDRC officials told the Chieftain an event like the sensory extravaganza makes a huge difference in their quality of life Such is the case for the family of Elizabeth Harmes a community member with a non-verbal autistic son who also has complex medical needs "(CDRC) makes the event dietarily inclusive for people who have dietary restrictions the event is catered to that — for example my son has problems with loud noises or too much stimulation," Harmes told the Chieftain "They have it set up so that whether you're an adult or a child or your behavioral needs are actually accommodated .. my son can't even go (to a traditional event) and be communicated with at a basic level versus these events that are set up for people with different communication levels different sensory levels and different needs," she said Harmes said it makes a big difference in her son's happiness when he's allowed to meaningfully participate "Even if he's having some sensory challenge there are people who can understand and help him It's really a showcase of what inclusivity should look like." The event is also attended by families who have non-special needs children "I just had a daughter — she doesn't have a disability but next year she'll be able to participate side-by-side with her brother at an event which would not be possible anywhere else in the community." the event allows the family to connect with resources that can aid them in their day-to-day lives and also communicate with other families with similar needs "It's really great to see families that are similar to my family and be able to share experiences and talk about where our child is and give each other information about 'This is how you access this resource,' or 'This is what medication my child is on,' or 'This is what therapy we go to,'" Harmes said "So it's a great place for families to connect with each other and a place for organizations that maybe don't work with people who have different challenges or disabilities to see what it looks like to be inclusive." Harmes expressed her appreciation for the "devotion and the attention to detail and the respect that the Community Engagement and Integrations Director Jadea Pineda has for these families." she takes feedback and brings new ideas to try to bring a different experience every single time for these families and make sure they have a truly special experience," Harmes said "These events have truly changed the landscape for events here." Pineda said the CDRC is "thrilled to host our 3rd annual Sensory Easter extravaganza for the Pueblo and Pueblo West community." "It is an honor to coordinate this event and see the joy on so many faces and to experience the numerous community connections being made," Pineda said people of all ages will shave their heads to fundraise money for cancer research Baldrick's Foundation's head shaving event returns Saturday March 15 at the VFW post 5812 in Pueblo West even if you are not participating in the head shaving Riccillo said the goal is to raise $40,000 for childhood cancer research “Those kids who get their head shaved or they lose their hair because of chemotherapy or the disease itself you show solidarity with those kids because you wanna let those kids know that you’re not alone in this fight,” said Riccillo People can donate in person at the event or on their website This will be David Springer’s 10th year participating in St Springer shaves his head every March to fundraise for childhood cancer research it means I'm taking a stand against cancer I'm taking a stand to support St Baldrick's and their research,” said Springer “If shaving my head will help the child's life It is a tradition Springer shared with his wife Elizabth (Liz) Shaving their heads was something the couple enjoyed doing together “I've got pictures of us sitting side by side getting our heads shaved,” said Springer Baldrick's because of Liz's passion for helping children “She was certified as a pediatric nurse,” said Springer The cause became more personal a few years ago when Springer found out both Liz and his son were diagnosed with cancer “I have a picture of us together in 2018 that was taken at Austin as the last time the three of us ever made a trip together because the next time the three of us were together it was when my son was in hospice care in March of 2019,” said Springer it's been important for me to continue that,” said Springer “I'll keep on doing (it) as long as I can.” Each dollar raised will go to cancer research which will help a family who is impacted by cancer but the machines that they have to use to diagnose are expensive and these machines can lead to earlier diagnostics and treatment of these cancers,” said Springer Both Springer and Riccillo encourage everyone to come to the event on Saturday PUEBLO COUNTY — A Pueblo West man was arrested for child abuse Monday The sheriff's office says 35-year-old Ulysses Kropf-Castillo was arrested for the incident involving his seven-year-old child In May of 2023, Governor Jared Polis signed "Riley's Law" or SB 23-075 The law is designed to protect the identities of underage crime victims School Resource Officers (SROs) at an elementary school in Pueblo County School District 70 received a report from an employee regarding the alleged incident SROs investigated and found the child had visible injuries which were reportedly inflicted by Kropf-Castillo The child was taken to a hospital for treatment Kropf-Castillo was booked into the Pueblo County Jail The sheriff's office says this was their third arrest in five days for a child abuse incident the sheriff's office says they arrested two people in connection to the abuse of a six-year-old Staff at another District 70 elementary school notified the sheriff's office of this incident District 70 Superintendent Ronda Rein released the following statement regarding this incident: Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero also released a statement If you are concerned about a child's wellbeing or see evidence of child abuse you are asked to call any of the following non-emergent numbers: (KRDO) – The parents of a 6-year-old child in Pueblo have been arrested after staff at an elementary school noticed visible signs of abuse on the child the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) said March 6 on charges of child abuse for knowingly or recklessly causing injury after a months-long investigation into the potential abuse of their child officials at an unidentified Pueblo West elementary school reported visible signs of abuse on their then 6-year-old child to authorities The child was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries and has since been placed with the Department of Human Services detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Ryson and AshtanAshley The couple was arrested at their Pueblo West home Thursday and have since been booked into the Pueblo County Jail PUEBLO WEST — The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office says they're investigating a 50-year-old woman's death after she was found unresponsive Sunday morning at a home in Pueblo West Deputies say they responded to the home in the 500 block of South Archdale Drive which is located near the intersection of Purcell Boulevard and East Hahns Peak Avenue deputies and members of the Pueblo West Fire Department performed life-saving measures it is unclear if the woman's death is suspicious The Pueblo County Coroner's Office will release her name and cause of death at a later date admin January 9, 20252025 Incidents, Home, January 2025 High winds were blowing and fueling the fire but crews fought through them and were able to knock the fire down quickly and spent just over an hour overhauling the fire and bringing it under control Additional information provided by Code 4 Photography Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office & AMR Human remains unearthed by police in Pueblo West last October were recently identified as those of a missing Colorado Springs man The Colorado Springs Police Department is investigating the death as a homicide According to a Jan. 21 CSPD news release, 28-year-old Santino Cardella was reported missing in April 2022. Police say they received information that “foul play may have been involved” in his disappearance and later received additional information that Cardella was “possibly buried somewhere in Pueblo,” according to the release Police obtained a search warrant for six parcels of land in Pueblo West and executed those warrants on Oct Those remains were later identified as Cardella Pueblo Police Department and Colorado Bureau of Investigation assisted CSPD in executing the warrant “While the Coroner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death this is being investigated as a homicide,” CSPD officials said in Tuesday’s release Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident is asked to contact CSPD at 719-444-7000 call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 719-634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477 More on crime and public safety: Car thefts dropped nearly 30% in Pueblo last year. What's making the difference? and next year's budget reflects that growth The Pueblo West Metropolitan District has approved a 40% increase to 2025's budget “We approved a budget for Pueblo West Metropolitan District that is approximately about $92 million,” Christian Heyn said Christian Heyn is the Pueblo West’s District Manager He said the district has more money to spend because of three reasons we had a fire sales tax initiative where we did a 1% sales tax that allowed our fire department to collect about $3.8 million in revenue per year to be able to expand,” Heyn said He said the fire department has around more firefighters now and they have built fire station No “It allowed us to very much invest into one of the major services that the district provides particularly considering that the general fund didn't have the funding to expand there,” Heyn said Pueblo County took over road maintenance in Pueblo West in 2023 Heyn said this saved the district nearly a million dollars “So that has allowed us to invest back into the services we provide,” Heyn said they took a different approach to this year's budgeting “It's where we actually looked at every expense and justified it especially on the operational side and especially on the enterprise side,” Heyn said He said this type of budgeting moves away from the traditional incremental increases we recognize that there's costs and inflation so we might make an assessment of two to 5% increases we actually revisited and looked at where different operating expenses might be and why they are what they are,” Heyn said They found ways to decrease their operating expenses and put those funds towards capital improvement projects sometimes we would see ourselves being much farther from our budget number to our actual number and so we were much closer to where we actually are spending that money which means that that money can then be projected for capital projects that we can see in the next year,” Heyn said Nearly $20 million of the budget will be spent on capital improvement projects These include expanding the wastewater treatment plant and creating a new dog park at Civic Center Park I think they need another one,” Nicole said to one of the only dog parks in Pueblo West “This one is our favorite but we will try the other one too,” Nicole said She said the dog park can often get crowded in the mornings and they need another one “Just depending on where people live and stuff depending on the type of the time of day and stuff,” Nicole said While Pueblo West’s budget is significantly increasing down the road The City of Pueblo's 2025 budget is nearly 8 million dollars lower than 2024 Mayor Heather Graham said this was because of a decline in city revenue and higher expenses Heyn said the services the city provides compared to the district are very different Parks and Rec water and wastewater services Our public works might be limited,” Heyn said He said the district also relies on mill levies and property taxes “I think there has been a long history of Pueblo West has a very limited form of government and has provided limited services based on it being a Metropolitan District Whereas the city might have had access to things and they're running into as things have cost more they have not necessarily had new revenue sources but now we're finding new revenue sources,” Heyn said For more information visit the Pueblo West Budget Proposal website.___ PUEBLO WEST — The Pueblo West Fire Department is growing they are hiring four more first responders The department has added nearly 20 people over the past four years a Deputy Chief with the Pueblo West Fire Department “Because the demand for calls does not go down every year He said when the fire department gets more calls “We have grown quite a bit and the sales tax has helped tremendously,” said King In 2020, Pueblo West voters passed a 1% sales tax that goes to the Pueblo West Fire Department. “It has been life changing for us,” said King King said it has allowed them to buy new fire trucks and more equipment “We just purchased a new $1.4 million ladder truck We've got two more trucks in production right now We got a new brush truck earlier this year,” said King The department also has been able to hire 17 additional personnel “We got enough people up at Station 3 to man two or three trucks “Having those extra people up there at Station 3 it really helps because we have them available to take the squad unit or ladder truck.” King said this is helping with response times a new fire station on the southwest side of town "Response times improved greatly once we opened up Station 2 it went from a 15-minute response down to a four or five,” said King He said keeping firefighters safe is a top priority in 2025 “We need to get them in a safer environment,” said King King said the current sleeping quarters at Station 1 are not up to code They're basically just enough for a twin bed,” said King they are renovating the nearly 30-year-old Station 1 “That's why we've got roughly $2.4 million in next year's budget to move the living quarters from back here in their little dungeons that's the big plan for next year,” said King He said they will move the workout room to where the current sleeping quarters are now They will also give the kitchen an upgrade King said construction for the new rooms will begin in January Pueblo West voters will need to pass it again After what some would consider a disappointing season last year the Pueblo West Cyclones’ baseball team is finally starting to click The Cyclones transitioned into a Class 5A schedule last year and were not ready to take on that kind of talent all season long there is a spark on the team and the players are starting to rally and believe that this season could be a big one for the team it's some of the stuff that we were talking about with a group of my juniors and seniors since October we've been meeting once and twice a week about culture about how we're going to deal with adversity just the whole process of being a great leader and try to have the best culture we can as far as for our team,” Cyclones head coach Dan Sanchez said after the Cyclones pulled out a victory over Pine Creek 12-3 Tuesday More: 'You're never alone': Pueblo East's Chaz Leyba opens up about dealing with death “I believe that's been the big part of (the success) These guys that were all juniors and sophomores and gained experience playing varsity baseball and now my goal for them is to grow mentally.”  of the team put in work in the weight room One player who has stood out at the top of the team is senior Jaiven Baca He was one of those leaders who stepped into the weight room this off-season and focused on becoming better and he's a good kid; he just kind of does what we ask him to do Baca has been on the mound three times and has helped the program to two victories including a recent win at home against Pine Creek in which the weather conditions were less than ideal to play ball but we talked about mentally staying strong we got to be prepared for things like this and we know that we're going to face adversity,” Sanchez said and if we want to go where we want to go at the end of the year With it being his last year in high school Baca says that it's time for him to be a leader and to make it his best year ever “I have been showing up to practice every day ready to work my tail off and get better for my team as a whole,” Baca said “I'm just trying to get to where I want to be so I can go play at the next level My teammates and my family push me to be better every day It’s motivating for me just to get up every day and go to work.”  More: Silent Leaders: Pueblo County Hornets baseball is buzzing thanks to quiet seniors The Cyclones still have a long season ahead of them but if they continue to play at the pace they are playing right now they could surprise a lot of teams come playoff time “As long as we just keep doing what we are doing,” Baca said and everybody's starting to put it together it's just a team effort and everybody on the team wants it so that helps us stay connected and get wins.”   Pueblo foodies have a lot to look forward to in 2025 thanks to the impending opening of at least five restaurants Whether you are looking to eat healthy or binge on some comfort food Following are details on the five eateries the Chieftain confirmed are gearing up to serve Pueblo and Pueblo West soon Andrew Shah and his father Mack will open their Pueblo West Shah's at 130 S The stand-alone restaurant will feature a 66-seat Greek-American fusion eatery with a pickup window for customers who place online or call-in orders "It is a few hundred square feet bigger than the Pueblo store We also anticipate starting a catering and food truck branch of the business in 2025," Andrew Shah told the Chieftain The restaurant will feature the same menu at the Shah's restaurant at 940 Eagleridge Blvd. in Pueblo which the family opened in 2018 Andrew Shah, his wife Taylor and their two children have a total of 13 employees working for the two restaurants. To find out more, visit the restaurants' Facebook page at facebook.com/shahskabob/ The Cutting BoardAfter spending about a year offering their plant-based menu at Fuel & Iron Food Hall Chad and Nako Hankins will be moving The Cutting Board a block away to 130 S The move will happen just in time for the 100th anniversary of the 1925 building that will house the restaurant The building has been undergoing extensive renovations in preparation for The Cutting Board's brick-and-mortar debut We also have applied for a beer and wine license so we will offer all Colorado beers and a couple of wine options," Chad Hankins told the Chieftain The alcoholic beverages will be an ideal cooling compliment to the Hankins's signature dishes like plant-based slopper sliders topped with Pueblo green chile To find out more, check out The Cutting Board website at tcbpueblo.com and sign up for updates on the move to the new location Bojangles will open in mid-2025 at the new TA TravelCenters of America gas station at 1275 Drew Dix Parkway in Pueblo Pueblo's first Bojangles is currently under construction and is owned by franchisee LVP Restaurant Group "We’re excited to bring our legendary chicken biscuits and tea to Colorado," said Stacey McCray vice president of communications for Bojangles "Bojangles is a Carolina-born restaurant chain specializing in breakfast and Southern-style food — all made from scratch." Founded in 1977 as a single location in Charlotte Bojangles has grown to more than 800 company-owned and franchised restaurants in 17 states and counting as it works toward western expansion "Fans from all over know Bojangles for our popular tagline – 'It’s Bo Time,'" McCray said Find out more at bojangles.com Clean Eatz in Pueblo is a healthy food restaurant that offers a variety of delicious and affordable options for customers Pueblo's location is opening in spring of 2025 according to Owner Stephanie Burdick Construction inside the building got underway in December and Burdick hopes to open by the end of March healthy food options at Clean Eatz in Pueblo include grab-and-go meals The business anticipates hiring 15-20 total employees The business also will provide a weekly meal plan service with a new menu going live on the website every Tuesday Meal service plan customers simply place an online order pick up their meals at Clean Eatz in Pueblo and then take them home to heat and eat Hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Find out more about the menu and offerings at cleaneatz.com BurgerWorks Colorado Owner William Tamminga is overseeing the construction of Colorado's eighth Whataburger planned for Pueblo's southside at 2850 W The Whataburger groundbreaking was held in October Whataburger also has an extensive breakfast menu served until 11 a.m. daily including pancake platters, biscuits and gravy, and breakfast burritos. Find out more at whataburger.com/home More: 'A dream come true': Whataburger breaks ground on Pueblo's South Side Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via Twitter at twitter.com/tracywumps. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com After a year-and-a-half-long process involving two separate searches Pueblo West Metro District board members agreed unanimously Monday to hire a familiar face — the interim district manager who has been filling in the entire time Christian Heyn was selected for the top job after both searches were conducted with the help of a consultant that was paid $25,000 to aid the district with the hiring process the board wrangled with whether the district manager should be required to live in Pueblo West and finally settled on a requirement for residency within a 50-mile radius of the district Heyn was the lone candidate after the first search, but staff discovered that eight candidates for the job were not considered when the resumes they filed through the metro district's online job portal last November were not retrieved and forwarded to the consultant The second search drew 15 candidates and the field was narrowed to three — Heyn who has served as district director for U.S Kaufman withdrew his application before the final determination was made Monday Board Treasurer Brian Axworthy said with just Navarro and Heyn left in the running "I don't think it is time to make any radical changes I think we should stay the course and Christian (Heyn) will do a fine job for us," said Joe Mahaney Heyn said he looked forward to the opportunity and helping the district grow Audit reveals double payment to construction firmAlso at Monday's metro board meeting an audit of the district's 2023 finances revealed a construction invoice that had been paid twice a certified public accountant with Haynie and Company of Littleton The error was listed as a "significant deficiency" in the audit and the accountant recommended monthly review and reconciliation Finance Director Karen Cordova agreed to implement stronger review control processes Cordova told the board the company sent out a duplicate invoice for $325,626.75 and it was paid "We still owed them some money so the net overage paid was $182,465.25," Cordova said pointing out she shared the pertinent documentation of the overpayment with the company "All of a sudden we haven't heard from them again We are pursuing correction of the overpayment," Cordova said Desert Hawk Golf Course Management Board in limboPueblo West Board Secretary Bill Vickers told the board that the golf course management board made up of Pueblo County and Pueblo West officials as well as local citizens has not met since March 20 "We have not had a meeting and that's a problem," Vickers said pointing out the loans for the course will be paid off by the end of the year and the district has "got to figure out what direction we are going to be taking on a $3-plus million irrigation system." "Placing this on the back burner is not going to work," he said pointing out the golf course is "not a priority to the county," and Pueblo West members of the board "have tried" to schedule a meeting without success Trash talking: Pueblo West starts new process for residents to submit complaints online Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via X, formerly Twitter, at twitter.com/tracywumps. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com. (KRDO)- The winter weather that moved into Southern Colorado didn't stop families from enjoying an Easter Sensory Extravaganza in Pueblo West Friday This event was designed for families who have children with disabilities who may not be able to fully participate and enjoy a typical easter egg hunt event Elizabeth Harmes said this is one of many events her six-year-old son Remington is able to enjoy "Like me that we have an autistic non-verbal child who has come to we come to events like this because they're inclusive and they're able to meet all the needs for my child," said Harmes Harmes said she enjoys seeing her son participate in activities with other kids.  "It means a whole lot to us because not only is he able to participate with other families but he's able to actually and our normal families get to do," said Harmes This is the third annual Easter Extravaganza hosted by the Colorado Department of Regional Center we probably had approximately 500 people that attended most of our events are increasing to around 1000 participants We love to see the smiles on people's faces and really the community connections that are being made," said Jadea Pineda Community Engagement and Integrations Director Organizers said they wanted to have something different where everyone could participate whether somebody is in a wheelchair or unable to run anything We really want to make sure we're inclusive to everybody and all needs," said Pineda Karla Sosa is a bilingual multimedia journalist for KRDO13. Learn more about her here.