Images Pueblo, CO: 2010 by Journal Communications

2010 | IMAGESPUEBLO.COM ®

PUEBLO, COLORADO

CATCH A WAVE Whitewater Park is state’s premier river-surfing spot

Culture Comes Alive Two festivals add spice to community

SPONSORED BY THE GREATER PUEBLO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2010 EDITION | VOLUME 16 ®

PUEBLO, COLORADO

CO NTE NT S F E AT U R E S

PUEBLO BUSINESS 30 Green Growth Pueblo is home to serious green-energy innovation and practices.

10 HIGH-PROFILE CREATIVITY Arts organizations work to promote city’s various cultural endeavors.

14 SURF ON HIS TURF Chamber president Rod Slyhoff guides visitors through ﬁve delicious Pueblo meals.

18 CULTURE COMES ALIVE Two lively festivals add spice to Pueblo.

22 CATCH A WAVE, PUEBLO STYLE Whitewater Park makes waves as Colorado’s premier river-surﬁng spot.

26 ALL IN THE FAMILY DINER The Pantry is one of Pueblo’s most popular restaurants.

34 Biz Briefs 36 Chamber Report 37 Economic Proﬁle

D E PA R TM E NT S 8 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Pueblo culture

27 Portfolio: people, places and events that deﬁne Pueblo

39 41 43 44 47

Health & Wellness Arts & Culture Sports & Recreation Education Community Proﬁle: facts, stats and important numbers to know

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

ON THE COVER Photo by Antony Boshier Native American dancing at the Chile Festival

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PUEBLO, COLOR ADO MANAGING EDITOR KIM MADLOM COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, JESSY YANCEY STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS JOE MORRIS, KATHRYN ROYSTER, BETSY WILLIAMS DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER ELIZABETH WEST SALES SUPPORT MANAGER CINDY HALL SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, J. KYLE KEENER PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT MANAGER ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER LAURA GALLAGHER

DINING HEALTH C A R E

GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, JESSICA MANNER, JANINE MARYLAND, MARCUS SNYDER

CULTURE ULTUR LT TU

WEB IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTOR ANDY HARTLEY

SHOPPING

WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA WEB CONTENT MANAGER JOHN HOOD

BUSINESSES

WEB PROJECT MANAGER YAMEL RUIZ

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WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES

WEB DESIGN LEAD LEIGH GUARIN WEB DESIGN CARL SCHULZ COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN ALISON HUNTER AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

SENIOR LIVING RECREATION SALARY VOLUNTEERING POPULATION

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CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS V.P./CUSTOM PUBLISHING KIM NEWSOM MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS BILL McMEEKIN MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY SIMPSON DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

Just the facts, please. Many factors will determine your move, and now you’re just a click away from all the basic facts you’ll need. Visit imagespueblo.com for our enhanced Facts & Stats section, now rich with quick, pertinent details about the community.

Images Pueblo is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce 302 N. Santa Fe Avenue • Pueblo, CO 81003 Phone: (719) 542-1704 • Fax: (719) 542-1624 www.pueblochamber.org VISIT IMAGES PUEBLO ONLINE AT IMAGESPUEBLO.COM ©Copyright 2009 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. Member

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imagespueblo.com THE DEFINITIVE RELOCATION RESOURCE

What’s On Online nl

PICTURE PERFECT We’ve added even more of our prize-winning photography to the online gallery. To see these photos, click on Photo Gallery.

RELOCATION Considering a move to this community? We can help. Use our Relocation Tools to discover tips, including how to make your move green, advice about moving pets and help with booking movers.

VIDEOS In our Interactive section, watch quick videos by our editors and photographers featuring people, places and events.

FACTS & STATS Go online to learn even more about: • Schools • Health care • Utilities • Parks • Taxes

LOCAL FLAVOR From the simple to the sublime, the delicious offerings here are guaranteed to satisfy every appetite.

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE Images gives readers a taste of what makes Pueblo tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts. “Find the good – and praise it.”

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– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

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Sit back and enjoy a preview of Pueblo amenities. Explore its landscapes, cultural offerings, food and fun. See its downtown, neighborhoods, parks and attractions. WINGATE BY WYNDHAM 4711 N. Elizabeth St. Pueblo, CO 81008

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Experience the history, hot spots and local happenings. Pueblo is rated L for Livability

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Almanac

Affordable Amenities Looking for an affordable city with plenty of cultural, recreational and educational opportunities? Pueblo is perfect. The 2009 ACCRA Cost of Living Index ranks Pueblo second on the list of least expensive urban areas. Pueblo is tied with Fort Smith, Ark., while Pryor Creek, Okla. earned the top ranking. The composite index is based on six components – housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care and miscellaneous goods and services.

Honoring Heroes Here’s a salute to William J. Crawford, Drew D. Dix, Raymond G. “Jerry” Murphy and Carl L. Sitter. These four native sons of Pueblo are all recipients of the Medal of Honor. It is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed by Congress on an individual serving in the U.S. armed forces. In 1993, the U.S. Congress proclaimed Pueblo “America’s Home of Heroes,” and a memorial was erected in 2000 to honor the recipients. The memorial consists of four 8-foot bronze sculptures and is located outside the Pueblo Convention Center.

Right on Course Instead of plowing up the arroyos or filling in their dried creek beds, Walking Stick Golf Course integrated the arroyos into its design. The par-72 municipal golf course provides golfers with challenging play, beautiful views of the mountains and ideal vantage points to see across the plains. Arroyo, which means ‘brook’ in Spanish, is a dry creek bed or gulch that temporarily fills with water following a heavy rain. There are very few trees on the course because Pueblo is in the plains, so having the arroyos here makes the course interesting.

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Let the Good Times Flow Water sports and boating enthusiasts, welcome to paradise. By all accounts, Pueblo bubbles over with assets, from its energetic nightlife to its rich culture and heritage. But perhaps the city’s most attractive qualities can be found in its beautiful lakes and rivers, which offer endless recreation opportunities under year-round sunny skies. Fishing on the Arkansas River is a satisfying challenge, and Lake Pueblo State Park is the most visited state park in Colorado for good reason. The lake features more than 60 miles of shoreline and 4,500 acres of surface water. For a leisurely day on the water, the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo is a scenic place to stroll along the riverfront or take a relaxing pontoon boat ride.

Pueblo At A Glance POPULATION (2008 ESTIMATE) Pueblo: 106,079 Pueblo County: 156,737 LOCATION Pueblo is situated beside the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado, 110 miles south of Denver.

Fast Facts

FOR MORE INFORMATION Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce 302 N. Santa Fe Ave. Pueblo, CO 81003 Phone: (719) 542-1704, (800) 233-3446 Fax: (719) 542-1624 www.pueblochamber.org

What’s Online e

BEGINNINGS The El Pueblo Training Post was established in 1842, and the city of Pueblo was incorporated in 1870.

Take a virtual tour of Pueblo, courtesy of our awardwinning photographers, at imagespueblo.com.

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Q Founded in 1872, the Colorado State Fair is held in Pueblo each year at the 102-acre Colorado State Fairgrounds. Q Lake Pueblo State Park, an 11-mile-long water reservoir, boasts 60 miles of shoreline and is one of the top recreation spots in the state. Q The 3.5-mile-long Pueblo Levee Mural Project is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest mural in the world. Q Area kayakers are rejoicing, as a new whitewater park opened in downtown Pueblo in May 2005 and covers a halfmile stretch with eight different water features.

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High-Profile

Creativity ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WORK TO PROMOTE CITY’S VARIOUS CULTURAL ENDEAVORS STORY BY JOE MORRIS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

ome wield a paintbrush while others take to the stage, but no matter how they express their talent, artists and performers have an enthusiastic and supportive home in Pueblo. The city is justifiably known for its museums and major arts organizations, but its support of the arts trickles down to individual artists and smaller groups as well. Even better, organizations such as the Visual Artists of Pueblo and Pueblo Performing Arts Guild market and raise awareness of art and artists here, making sure that each gets a chance to be seen, heard and experienced.

The business community joins the city’s residents in supporting the arts and was a major impetus behind the formation of the Pueblo Performing Arts Guild, says Susan Fries, executive director. “They saw the need for an organization that could represent a lot of the others and get their message out,” Fries says. “Marketing and fundraising are things many groups don’t have time for, and we allow them to have more impact because we can do those things for them while they focus on their art.” An early member and ongoing beneficiary of PPAG’s

Pueblo artist Radeaux, who specializes in life-sized birds and animal paintings, works in his Pueblo gallery.

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Artistic Assets A sampling of some of the arts organizations in Pueblo. Broadway Theatre League Colorado Music Fest Damon Runyon Repertory Theatre Festival Fridays Impossible Players Pueblo Choral Society Pueblo Symphony Sangre de Cristo Ballet Theatre Sangre de Cristo Dancerz Southern Col. Theatre Company Town & Gown Performing Arts Series

efforts is Christina Anderson, executive director of the Pueblo Children’s Chorale. Involving children from the second through eighth grades, the chorale manages to produce four programs and a school tour every year on a $35,000 budget, so any and all help is vital. “PPAG promotes our concerts through their weekly e-mail blast,” Anderson says. “But they also promote our auditions and arrange performance opportunities for us.” More importantly, she says, PPAG allows her to meet with other groups to network and brainstorm on ways they can perform separately and together for even greater community impact. “Pueblo is really rich in the arts, and people may not know about everything there is,” Anderson says. “PPAG gets the word out to anyone who wants to be involved, from organizations to audience members.” After more than 25 years of painting his native Colorado, 20 of those from the John Deaux Art Gallery, one-named artist Radeaux can take the long view. Having watched Pueblo’s arts community grow and thrive has not only been beneficial for his work, but for the city itself, he says. “Artists come here for the low cost of living, the climate, the landscape – everything that Pueblo has to offer,” Radeaux says. “But the community is also very supportive of the arts. The various organizations really liven things up and get a lot of interest going. We do a First Friday Art Walk each month, and when PPAG gets people involved with that, it really adds to the atmosphere.” The city’s artistic successes also help its economic development, Fries adds, so in the end everybody wins. “Art events sell tickets, and they drive business,” she says. “We promote the arts, which brings people to the area, which drives tourism. There’s a lot of energy here, and we’re good at focusing that.”

Clockwise from top left: Pueblo artist Radeaux; Paige Cipperly at a dress rehearsal for an upcoming Michael Jackson Celebration at the Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center; Festival Fridays; Sangre de Cristo Ballet Theatre

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PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE HART, SANGRE DE CRISTO ARTS CENTER

PHOTO COURTESY OF SANGRE DE CRISTO ARTS CENTER

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Surf on His

Turf CHAMBER PREZ SUGGESTS FIVE GREAT PUEBLO MEALS

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

ou have 36 hours in Pueblo, and you’re hungry. Where do you eat? Rod Slyhoff has suggestions. The president and CEO of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce enjoys good food and the occasional martini, and can recommend some of the best places for both. After a day of traveling to Pueblo, Restaurant Fifteen Twentyone is the perfect place to relax with a martini. Rod recommends starting a meal at Restaurant Fifteen Twentyone with mussels steamed in garlic and white wine broth, followed with a tomato salad with baby spinach, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. “For the entrée, I’d go with the grilled salmon served with corn ragout and roasted red onion relish. It’s incredible.”

After dinner enjoy an evening at one of Pueblo’s many nightspots. The next morning, Rod suggests a visit to his favorite coffee shop – Solar Roast on Main Street – to wake up with a rich, dark coffee. “I always get a toasted bagel topped with ham, cheese and egg to complement Solar Roast’s excellent coffee.” After breakfast visitors can work up an appetite strolling the Riverwalk. Then, it’s lunchtime. “You can’t come to Pueblo without getting a plate of Mexican food, and one of the places I always rave about is Mexi-Deli,” he says. “They have good chips and salsa and cold Mexican beer while you look over the menu, and their house specialty is the taco Azteca. It’s a flat taco shell layered with frijoles and your choice of meat, topped with sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, tomato and

Clockwise from top: Steamed mussels, a favorite appetizer at Restaurant Fifteen Twentyone; Steve Pagano, owner of Pass Key Restaurant; Rod Slyhoff, Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce president

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Feast on This

PUEBLO DINING IN 36 HOURS

BREAKFAST Solar Roast Coffee is a great place to refuel in the mornings. This eco-friendly coffeehouse founded by two brothers uses sunlight to roast its coffee beans. Traditional breakfast fare includes bagels and croissants, and regional favorites including burritos. 226 N. Main St.

LUNCH For excellent authentic Mexican food try the taco Azteca or any menu item at the Mexi-Deli. Eat where the locals have dined for decades – check out the iconic Pass Key Restaurant and sample the Italian sausage sandwich. Mexi-Deli, 215 E. Abriendo Avenue Pass Key, 518 E. Abriendo Avenue

DINNER Fifteen Twentyone serves many French-inspired dishes prepared by its classically trained chef. Park East is well-known for its excellent steaks, seafood, appetizers and salads. Restaurant Fifteen Twentyone 123 N. Main St. Park East, 720 Goodnight Avenue

cheese, and then smothered with green chili. It’s the best.” Spend the afternoon visiting the galleries and museums Pueblo has to offer. That night for dinner, Rod points to Park East Restaurant. He likes to sit at the bar because it offers a lively atmosphere, with bands performing several nights a week. “For my dinner, I like to order off the Tapas menu although they have a full dinner menu as well. I enjoy the garlic spicy shrimp followed by some prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, then a steak brochette topped with blue cheese,” he says. “Plus, I can never pass up the calamari at Park East. I also enjoy a glass of Toasted Head merlot to accompany my meal.” The next morning, Rod says it’s okay to grab a cup of coffee and do some shopping until time for lunch at Pueblo’s iconic Pass Key. “Try an Italian sausage sandwich they call the Pass Key Special,” he says. “The owners buy their sausage from the same market they’ve used for decades, then mix in their own secret spices before grilling it to perfection.” The sausage is then topped with American, Swiss and provolone cheese and it all goes on a toasted bun. “That is one of the most outstanding sandwiches you could ever imagine,” Rod says. “It’s the perfect way to wrap up 36 hours of culinary adventure in Pueblo.” Next time you’re in town, give Rod a call; he might join you for a meal.

The Bacon Eye-Opener at Solar Roast Coffee Right: Customers enjoy lunch at Pass Key Restaurant.

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What’s Online e Learn more about Pueblo’s cuisine in our quick online videos at imagespueblo.com.

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Online e Check out the Chile Festival and the rodeo event in our quick online videos at imagespueblo.com.

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Peppers &Pardners TWO LIVELY FESTIVALS ADD SPICE TO PUEBLO

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN

ore than 100 million viewers around the world annually watch Professional Bull Riders events on TV, and 1 million people actually attend PBR events each year. So what does that have to do with Pueblo? Pueblo is home to the Professional Bull Riders Association, which relocated here in July 2007 and has opened a four-story headquarters building along the Arkansas River. In May 2009, PBR officials wanted to become more involved with the Pueblo community, so they organized an inaugural Wild Wild West Festival. The event was well received, so the American Indian dancing is a cultural highlight at annual The Chile and Frijoles Festival. PHOTOS BY ANTONY BOSHIER

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The jalapeno pepper eating contest is always exciting at the Loaf ’N Jug Chile & Frijoles Festival. Left: Bull riding is one of several events at the Wild Wild West Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY WATSON

second annual festival will take place May 13-16, 2010. “It’s going to take a few years, but I’m hoping that Wild Wild West Festival will someday reach the popularity of other such renowned western icon gatherings as the Calgary Stampede in Canada and Frontier Days in Wyoming,” says Randy Bernard, CEO of the Professional Bull Riders Association. “We aren’t taking shortcuts in growing Wild Wild West Festival and will always strive to keep it first class. So every mid-May from now on, we want to help make Pueblo a destination for many, many tourists.” The festival is staged at the Colorado State Fairgrounds and on Union Avenue, with attractions that run the gamut of entertainment. “Bull riding is one event, yet a juried art show is another,” Bernard says. “We will continue to add interesting attractions as we progress, but like I PU E B LO

said, the ultimate goal is to make Wild Wild West Festival one of the premier attractions for Pueblo and this entire region each year.” Chile Festival Is Hot Event One attraction in Pueblo that already holds such a lofty distinction is the Loaf ’N Jug Chile & Frijoles Festival, which occurs every September on the third weekend following Labor Day. Approximately 100,000 spectators pack Union Avenue to celebrate the wide array of chile peppers that are grown in the Pueblo area. “Each year the farmers plant nearly 300 acres of chiles and close to 500 acres of frijoles,” says Juls Bayci, communications director for the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce. “While it’s hard to say if the advent of the Chile & Frijoles Festival has caused farmers to increase that acreage, one thing is for sure – the festival has definitely increased the awareness of Pueblo’s

PHOTOS BY ANTONY BOSHIER

chile crop throughout the region and state, thus increasing the demand.” The chamber, in partnership with El Pueblo History Museum, started the festival in 1994 to salute the impact that chile peppers have in the city and county. Pueblo, nestled in the Arkansas River Valley, has cool nights, hot days and frigid river water that runs fresh from the Rockies – all of which create a large, flavorful chile that is thick skinned and easy to peel. Festival activities include live music, cooking competitions, a 5K run, ethnic dancers, performing and visual arts, and a children’s zone. “Lots of great Pueblo restaurants and caterers are represented, and one of the competitions allows anyone in town to enter their best salsa,” Bayci says. “The festival continues to attract visitors from throughout Colorado and neighboring states as the trend toward heritage tourism grows.” I M AG E S P U E B L O . C O M

Catch a

WAVE, Pueblo Style WHITEWATER PARK MAKES WAVES AS COLORADO’S PREMIER RIVER-SURFING SPOT STORY BY KATHRYN ROYSTER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

s summer snowmelt runs down the Rockies to Pueblo, water-sports enthusiasts flood the Arkansas River with activity. The area teems with kayakers, boaters, waterskiers, and – surfers? Yes, surfers. Lured by the waves at downtown Pueblo’s Whitewater Park, river surfers are quickly turning the city into Colorado’s top surfing destination. “Pueblo is the surfing capital of Colorado,” says Chad Parson, an experienced river surfer and founder of the Colorado River Surfing Association, or CRSA. “Whitewater Park has a lot of great waves and eddies, all in one place. They’re all different and very fun to surf.” River surfing is similar to ocean The Edge owner, Bob Walker, stocks surf boards in his Pueblo store.

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Online e Watch the action at the Whitewater Park in our quick online videos at imagespueblo.com.

Alex Mauer surfs on a short board at the Pueblo Whitewater Park on the Arkansas River.

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surfing, but with one key difference: hang times are out of this world. “The waves never close out, never get to shore – it really is an endless ride,” says The Edge’s Bob Walker, whose shop has been outfitting Pueblo’s outdoor and recreation enthusiasts for more than 15 years. After several years of sparse interest in river surfing, Walker has recently seen a dramatic increase in the number of surfers and body-boarders visiting 24

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Whitewater Park. The uptick is due in part to the CRSA’s efforts to showcase Pueblo’s surfing scene. The organization hosted its International Surfing Day celebration in Pueblo in 2009 and plans to do the same again in 2010. Parson would also like to add a high-flow contest to the calendar, to give surfers a chance to try their skill at riding peak waves. Tina Sotelo, a Pueblo resident who regularly surfs Whitewater Park, is not

surprised that more and more people are showing interest. “It’s a great sport for both men and women. Even kids as young as 10 or 12 can start out on a body board if the water’s not too high,” she says. “Anyone who wants to learn can go to The Edge and talk to Bob or just come on down to the river – anyone there is willing to help anytime.” That openness is part of what makes Pueblo’s surf scene so appealing. PU E B LO

Before You Go Water flow is usually best for river surfing in May and June. Call The Edge (719) 583-2021 or toll-free (877) 273-5065 for information about water levels. You can also check the U. S. Geological Survey’s Arkansas River gauge at waterwatch.usgs.gov to find out if water flow is sufficient for a day of surfing. Walker recommends a flow rate of 1,500-4,000 cubic feet per second for surfing, with bodyboarding possible at flow rates down to 800 cubic feet per second. The higher the flow rate, the greater the skill required to surf safely. Minimum equipment includes surf or body board, helmet and life jacket. Ocean boards are usually fine for river surfing, but specialty river boards are also available. The river can be quite cold, especially in spring, so surfers may also want to wear a wet suit.

Henry Mauer, left, rides a wave on his boogie board while Peter Lynch, above, waits for an opening at the Pueblo Whitewater Park.

“The people who are in the park surfing are so nice, so approachable,” Walker says, and Parson concurs. “The Pueblo surf locals are some of the best and friendliest surfers in Colorado,” he says. “It’s always fun to hang by the river with them.” Pueblo surfing is also noteworthy for its relative safety. “There is a surfable wave just outside Glenwood Springs, but it’s a really big wave across the Colorado PU E B LO

River,” Walker says. “If you get washed off, you could end up half a mile downstream, bouncing around in the rocks. Here, if you fall off, it’s just a big pond behind you. The recovery is much easier.” But the biggest draw, he says, is convenience. Whitewater Park’s downtown location makes it an easy stop on the way to or from work, and the sport requires less equipment – and expense – than

an activity like kayaking. For Sotelo, the growing surf culture is an exciting addition to the mosaic of Pueblo life. “It brings a different vibe and a different energy to the area,” she says. Parson sees it as a model for other river cities around the globe. “Pueblo is a great town,” he says. “They’re showing the world what can be done with our rivers to make them enjoyable for all.” I M AG E S P U E B L O . C O M

Local Flavor

All in the Family Diner THE PANTRY IS ONE OF PUEBLO’S MOST POPULAR RESTAURANTS

older neighborhood of Pueblo that used to be called Mesa Junction. This kind of family diner doesn’t really exist much more in America, but it does here in Pueblo.” The Pantry specializes in home cooking, with many items prepared from scratch. “My father long ago invented a special green chile recipe that is delicious, and to this day it remains one of the most popular dishes at the restaurant,” Shawna says. “We feature a large menu with Mexican dishes along with quite a few comfort food offerings such as chicken fried steak, meatloaf and large hamburgers.” The Pantry is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hours are 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 6 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays. “We have loyal customers, many of whom stop in every day for one or two meals,” Shawna says. “We’re not only a restaurant, but a place where people gather to visit one another.” – Kevin Litwin

JEFF ADKINS

he Pantry remains one of the most popular restaurants in Pueblo, just as it has been throughout its entire 37-year history. Martin Valdez started the eatery in 1972, and his children Shawna and Kenny have always worked there. Now, Shawna and Kenny own the business. “Kenny and I have been with our family diner since day one. In fact, we used to stand on buckets just so that we could wash the dishes when we were kids,” Shawna says. “We would work after school, on holidays and weekends. My father eventually sold the business to us in 2006, but he still works here on occasion. It remains a close-knit, family-run restaurant.” The Valdez family actually opened a second restaurant in the 1980s called The Pantry Too, then purchased a couple of other adjacent buildings to continue expanding the business. “Ultimately, we closed the original restaurant in 1986 and then consolidated everything to our current larger location on East Abriendo Avenue,” Shawna says. “We’re in a quaint,

The Pantry is known for its green chile and diner-style food.

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Linkin Williamson at the Buell Children’s Museum and Arts Center in Pueblo

PHOTO BY ANTONY BOSHIER

You’re Kidding! BUELL CHILDREN’S MUSEUM INSPIRES IMAGINATIONS AND LEARNING

ow, children having fun and learning at the same time. The $3 million Buell Children’s Museum is now open on the campus of Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center. The two-level, 12,000-squarefoot museum features a variety of hands-on exhibits that focus on the arts, science and history. “This is the finest children’s museum in this state and possibly in the region,” says Maggie Divelbiss, Sangre de Cristo Arts Center executive director. “We are enlarging a world where the arts are cherished, nurtured and celebrated.” Child Magazine has ranked Buell as the No. 2 children’s art museum in the PU E B LO

country. Sangre de Cristo officials say the goal at Buell is to give children the tools to think and act creatively, and stimulate their interests through interactive and educational activities. One of the many exhibits at the children’s museum is called Buell Baby Barn, which offers a variety of infant activities in a fun barnyard theme. Another exhibit is called Colorado Gold, where children actually pan for real gold and other treasures in a mining trough. Another exhibit is called How the West was Worn, with kids encouraged to dress up in cowboy hats, shirts, spurs, chaps and boots. In an exhibit called Artrageous Studio, children can

create personal masterpieces using paper, ribbon, Mylar and other sparkly, gooey materials. At an exhibit called 3-D Chalk Pictures, kids draw western landscapes with special chalk and then wear 3-D glasses to make the pictures even more dramatic. Buell Children’s Museum is named in honor of the late Temple Hoyne Buell, a Denver architect and philanthropist whose foundation contributed $1 million to launch the project. Divelbiss says the long-term goal of the museum is to be an ultimate resource, helping to strengthen arts education offered in schools throughout Southern Colorado. I M AG E S P U E B L O . C O M

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Walk This Way

ANTONY BOSHIER

Welcome to Colorado East Country

PUEBLO PROUD â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Helping to Build the Financial Future of our Community

P UEBLO NORTH

P UEBLO WEST

P UEBLO SOUTH

1515 Fortino Blvd. (719) 584-2000

94 S. Tiffany Dr. (719) 547-4488

1219 S. Prairie Ave. (719) 561-5000

Visit us online at www.coloeast.com Chartered 1905

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long-term project that began in 1996 is only halfway done in 2010, but it sure looks good so far. The Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo is a 32-acre downtown waterfront experience that includes a scenic walkway along the edge of the Arkansas River. It features an outdoor amphitheater, nature center, small shops, cafes and artworks, and the Riverwalk has arguably become the best outdoor water attraction in Colorado. Construction of the $12.5 million Riverwalk began in 1995 to restore the Arkansas River to its historic channel that flows through the center of downtown Pueblo. The entire project will be built in six phases, with the third phase having been completed in late 2009. The Riverwalk has become a source of pride and confidence for the citizens of Pueblo, showing that the community is vibrant, alive and visionary. It is located in a segment of downtown Pueblo that had fallen into disrepair and had become unsightly by the early 1990s. Today, the Riverwalk hosts a farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market on Thursdays from late June through mid-September. It also hosts a Kansas City BBQ Society sanctioned competition, 4th of July and holiday lighting celebrations. But many residents who frequent the Riverwalk do so for exercise, with a variety of pathways available of varying lengths. In fact, the district has become one of the most visited attraction destinations in Pueblo, largely for the exercise option. Also for outdoor enthusiasts, a detailed Pueblo River Trail System stretches along the Arkansas River as well as along Fountain Creek, in various locations throughout Pueblo. Pedestrians and bicyclists are welcome to use the River Trail System paths, while the water that fronts much of the acreage is ideal for boat rides and canoeing. PU E B LO

To Thursday Market We Go armers’ markets have convened in the Midtown area of Pueblo on Tuesday and Friday mornings for several years. Now, there is also a Thursday evening market – but in a different part of town. Farmers’ Market at the Riverwalk takes place every Thursday evening during the summer months, with vendors selling their wares adjacent to the Riverwalk Boathouse. The market began operating in 2008 and has done quite well during its short history. The market occurs from the last Thursday in June until the third Thursday in September, so the 2010 dates will be June 24 through Sept. 16, according to Erin Regrutto, director of marketing for the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo. The times are 4-8 p.m., and there are usually 1,000 to 1,500 people in attendance every Thursday evening, proving that it is turning into a successful weekly summertime event. Regrutto says the market also features live musical entertainment with popular local acts, while happy hour boat rides along the river are also available to the public. “We also wanted to combine the market with existing businesses in the

area to make it a festival-like atmosphere,” she says. “There is a cookie shop, coffee shop, barbecue place and a hot dog stand near the Riverwalk Boathouse, and the farmers’ market just adds to the energy.” Besides produce, shoppers can also purchase items such as flowers, fresh breads and more. “We had a goat cheese and goat milk vendor in 2009, and one lady sold

Families shop for fresh, locally grown produce at the Musso Farms booth at the Farmers’ Market at the Riverwalk.

Enrolling Right Along

t has a student population of 5,000 – and that number seems to be growing every year. And no wonder. Colorado State University-Pueblo is a beautiful campus nestled in the southern part of the state near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, just a short drive to both Denver and Colorado Springs. In fact, the beauty of the outdoors is one of the reasons why students are attracted to the campus, with 300 days of sunshine in the Pikes Peak region that allow students to enjoy extracurricular outdoor activities. As for academics, the campus is known for its students being allowed to thrive in small classes that are taught by accomplished professors, with an average student-teacher ratio of only 18:1. There are a total of 26 undergraduate degree programs along with six graduate degree programs within the university’s four main schools – the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Science and

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homemade tamales,” Regrutto says. “Another lady sold fresh-caught salmon.” Officials with the Pueblo CityCounty Health Department and Live Well Pueblo are also on hand to give pedestrians free fruits and vegetables along with a variety of interesting recipe cards. “The market will only get bigger and better as we go along,” Regrutto says.

JEFF ADKINS

Math, Hasan School of Business, and the College of Education, Engineering and Professional Studies. Meanwhile, the university has also been making headlines in recent times. The CSU-Pueblo Thunderwolves football team returned to the gridiron in 2008 following a hiatus from the sport since 1984. Besides football, the men’s sports on campus are baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, tennis and wrestling, and the women’s sports are basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and volleyball. In addition, a brand new, multimillion-dollar “The University Library @ CSU-Pueblo” is currently under construction on campus and slated to open in May 2011. The spacious, impressive facility will be able to house 188,000 books, 247,000 government documents, and 13,000 CDs, DVDs and videocassettes. The library will also offer access to 20,000 print and online journals, and 100 online databases. It will also be home to university archives and special collections. – Stories by Kevin Litwin

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Green

Growth

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Business

PUEBLO IS HOME TO SERIOUS GREEN-ENERGY INNOVATION, PRACTICES

STORY BY JOE MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

ueblo’s always been known for its environmentally proactive culture, but it’s getting greener by the minute as new ventures and existing entities ramp up their eco-friendly efforts. The move to be clean as well as lean can bring a business some welcome attention. Take cement manufacturer GCC of America, which opened in 2008 and is now only the second Colorado company to earn a Peak Award from Colorado Performance Excellence. Then there’s The Water Company, a homegrown enterprise that is expanding its presence here by at least 140 employees over the next three to four years, as well as building a new facility for its research, production and marketing operations. The company’s wastewater-treatment system includes a material and process invented by native Brian Elson, who sold the patent to the company and leads its research operation. “Our founder is fourth-generation Pueblo, and the desire to keep the latest, greatest and cutting-edge technology here continues to be a strong push for our company,” says Victoria Hauser, chief financial officer. “Everything is going just great

Dave Hartkop sits next to a large solar array that he built with his brother, Michael, to generate heat from sunlight to roast coffee at Solar Roast.

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for us, and we hope to continue to bring in more business.” Clean is even on the logo at Giovanni Clean, a commercial cleaning and janitorial firm that is growing throughout Pueblo and northern Colorado. The company uses environmentally friendly supplies on its industrial and commercial jobs. And should anyone need a boost while saving the planet, enjoy a cup of Solar Roast Coffee. Brothers David and Michael Hartkop use the Helios 4, swapping fuel for sunlight on sunny days to roast their coffee beans. Meanwhile, Colorado State University-Pueblo is making news these days for an on-campus solar power system, a fleet of hybrid vehicles and just about everything in between. “Our solar installation is the largest of any university west of the Mississippi,” says Craig Cason, director of facilities management. “It’s been up and running since mid-2008, and powers about a tenth of the campus.” The three electric cars are the building blocks of a more economical fleet, in that they offer truck capabilities with much smaller operating costs. Like the 1.2-megawatt solar array, they are the result of an energy performance audit done on campus about five years ago that led to a green cleaningsupplies program, campuswide recycling effort and more. “There was significant investment up front, but the payback, which will come over the next 10 to 15 years, will be substantial,” Cason says. “And we’ll be going back to the performance audit and updating that so we can continue to add programs and develop the ones we have. “Everyone has gotten behind this, and with an enrollment now of over 5,000 students, green power is really important,” Cason says. “We’re looking at it as a way to keep costs down even as we have more people on campus.”

New all-electric cars are being used by maintenance employees on the campus of Colorado State UniversityPueblo. Above: CSU-Pueblo’s new solar panel field

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Business

Biz Briefs BUSINESSES – BOTH LARGE AND SMALL – THAT HELP DEFINE PUEBLO’S ECONOMIC CLIMATE

Scorecard BUSINESS AT A GLANCE

$1,144,120 Retail Sales

$9,708 Retail Sales Per Capita

$175,891 Hotel/Food

10,032 Total Firms Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts

HOBBS FAMILY FARM Biz: organic farm Buzz: To become certified organic in 2001, Hobbs Family Farm had to be free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for three years. The business produces vegetables and organic seeds. The primary crop is garlic. The farm also serves as a teaching site for interns from Colorado College who want to learn about organic farming. www.coloradogarlic.com 34

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YMCA Biz: fitness, youth development, health Buzz: The YMCA of Pueblo has moved to a new facility that offers even more services to its growing membership. The Pueblo Yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is still outreach. Thanks to the Strong Kids Campaign, more lowerincome youth, teens, seniors and families throughout the community are provided the opportunity to participate in YMCA programs than ever before. www.puebloymca.org RED CREEK LAND Biz: land sales Buzz: Established in 1994, Red Creek Land is a wholesale land company that specializes in purchasing, developing and marketing large acreage. Parcels in the inventory range from 5 to 80 acres of land, perfect for keeping horses or residential development. Since its inception, the company has marketed more than 100,000 acres of land. www.redcreekland.com OCTOPUS EXPRESS CAR WASH Biz: car wash Buzz: Octopus Car Washes have been in business since the late 1950s, providing brushless technology. Low-touch vehicle washing was pioneered by Octopus, which now has locations in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Texas. The Pueblo car wash is a ride-through express detailing facility with free self vacuums. www.octopuscarwash.com COOKIE LADIES Biz: bakery Buzz: Cookie Ladies Riverwalk Bake Shoppe began as a mother-daughter team baking a small variety of cookies in a rented kitchen. Now, the business has a commercial kitchen in a storefront overlooking the Riverwalk and has added premium ice cream and more. www.cookieladies.com PU E B LO

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Business | Chamber Report

Red Hot CHAMBER KEEPS COMMUNITY SMOKIN’ WITH ACTIVITY

I Team Stanton Your Relocation Experts Pierce & Debi Stanton Broker Associates (719) 351-4762 Cell (719) 583-1100 Ofﬁce (719) 583-9900 Fax debistanton@kw.com www.stantonhomesales.com

f it happens in Pueblo, chances are the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce is right in the thick of it. Whether it’s providing business assistance and legislative direction or implementing fairs and festivals, the chamber is either doing it or promoting it. That’s a tall order, because this is a busy community that reaches out to residents and tourists alike. “We promote anything that goes on in Pueblo,” says Phyllis Samora, chamber vice president. Under the capable direction of Rod Slyhoff, who has served as chamber president and CEO for the past quarter century, the chamber focus is on providing tangible benefits to members and creating relationships with key leaders in order to facilitate policy that is business-friendly. “The chamber is the true legislative voice of the community,” Samora says. “The legislators call the chamber before they introduce legislation because they want to get the pulse of the community.” Local city and county elected officials also work well with the chamber. “We all want to make Pueblo a better place to live and do business,” Samora says. Seminars, networking opportunities, governmental relations and leadershipdevelopment programs are at the core of

the chamber’s program of work, but Pueblo loves a party, and the chamber’s convention and visitors bureau knows how to throw one. The annual chamber-sponsored Loaf ’N Jug Chile & Frijoles Festival draws upwards of 100,000 people during its three days. After the Professional Bull Riders Inc. brought their world headquarters to downtown Pueblo, the chamber and PBR started the Wild Wild West Festival (held in May each year) to celebrate the Built Ford Tough Bull Riding Event. The Colorado State Fair Parade, planned and sponsored by the chamber, draws 40,000 people into town to kick off this popular event, while July’s National Little Britches Finals Rodeo guests are greeted with a chamber-sponsored welcome reception and other activities. Growing in popularity is the Fat Tuesday celebration, which started small as a member-appreciation event, but has now grown to include the entire community. With all this activity, it’s only natural that the chamber would work to draw conventions into town, and visitors are accommodated with almost 2,300 hotel rooms and two top-notch meeting facilities that hold groups from 10 to 1,500. – Betsy Williams

Beautify Your Kitchen Pierce & Debi Stanton kitchentune-up 224 S. Victoria Ave. Pueblo, CO 81003

JEFF ADKINS

(719) 647-1945 Showroom (719) 545-2129 Fax (719) 351-4763 Cell pstanton@kitchentuneup.com www.kitchentuneup.com Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce staff

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Business | Economic Profile

PUEBLO ECONOMIC OVERVIEW Pueblo has a low cost of doing business – among the lowest in America – which is a key reason why more than 50 companies have located here in recent years. Pueblo serves as the southern boundary for the state’s major business growth corridor, better known as the Front Range of the Rockies.

ECONOMIC RESOURCES Pueblo Economic Development Corporation 301 N. Main St. Pueblo, CO 81002 (719) 544.2000 www.pedco.org

TAXES

3.5% City Sales and Use Tax

1.0% County Sales Tax

2.9%

Pueblo County Economic Development 215 W. 10th St. Pueblo, CO 81003 (719) 583-6000 Southern Colorado Economic Development District 1104 N. Main St. Pueblo, CO 81003 (719) 545-8680 www.scedd.com/pueblo

Colorado Office of Economic Development 1625 Broadway, Suite 2700 Denver, CO 80202 (303) 892-3840

TRANSPORTATION Pueblo Memorial Airport 31201 Bryan Cir. Pueblo, CO 81001 (719) 553-2760 Pueblo Transit 123 Court St. Pueblo, CO 81003 (719) 553-2727 Amtrak www.amtrak.com

State Sales Tax

7.4% Total Sales Tax

GOVERNMENT OFFICES Pueblo County 215 W. 10th St. Pueblo, CO 81003 (719) 583-6000 www.co.pueblo.co.us Pueblo County Veterans Service Office 1120 Fourth St. Pueblo, CO 81001 (719) 583-4544 City of Pueblo 1 City Hall Place Pueblo, CO 81003 (719) 553-2655 www.pueblo.us

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MORE EO ONLINE imagespueblo.com More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.

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JEFF ADKINS

Health & Wellness

The Doctors Will See You Now FAST, ADVANCED MEDICINE SAVES LIVES AT ST. MARY-CORWIN

erald Crispin knows firsthand the importance of receiving cutting-edge medical care. The care he received at St. Mary-Corwin saved his life. Crispin suffered a massive stroke in 2007 while working on the roof of his house. The Colorado City senior citizen says his right arm became violently spastic. He was able to climb down from the roof and stumble into his living room to call his wife, Vera, for help. She dialed 911 and within minutes, he was transported to St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center – where the staff understood that every minute matters for stroke victims. Crispin was asked in the ER if he wanted the hospital to administer a powerful but risky drug to help him, but he couldn’t answer – so his wife made the decision to go ahead with it. Dr. Stephen Brown, chief medical officer at St. MaryCorwin, says an advanced clot-busting drug was used on Crispin to dissolve the blood clot in his brain that caused the stroke. “This drug must be administered within 3 hours of a stroke, but it has the potential to immediately relieve the symptoms,” Brown says. “This patient was lucky to be at St. Mary-Corwin because our Primary Stroke Center is certified by The Joint Commission. Stroke care at St. Mary-Corwin functions at a very high level.” The next morning, Crispin could actually feel his head and body healing, and within 48 hours he was released from St. Mary-Corwin. PU E B LO

“It still took me a few months before I got my head completely straightened out, but today I enjoy 100 percent recovery,” he says. “Stress and high cholesterol were big causes for my stroke, so I’ll keep working to lower those things for the rest of my precious life.” Top Trauma Treatment Also functioning at a high level is the hospital’s Traumatic Brain Injury program. Brown says that with the recent addition of this advanced program, there have been “extremely impressive improvements” in the mortality statistics associated with traumatic brain injuries. One case in point is Marcey Carlson of Pueblo, who incurred extensive brain injuries in January 2007 after being thrown from a speeding motorcycle. Carlson was a passenger and not wearing a helmet, and flew 100 yards before crashing her head into a sidewalk curb. The 20-year-old was transported to St. Mary-Corwin where emergency physicians removed part of her skull to allow her brain to swell without causing damage. She was then put into a drug-induced coma for 4 1/2 weeks. Today, after a long therapy process, Carlson is virtually back to being 100 percent. “The staff at St. Mary-Corwin did absolutely everything right, from what I’ve been told,” Carlson says. “Thanks to their incredible talent, I’m living and enjoying my life again.” – Kevin Litwin I M AG E S P U E B L O . C O M

Health & Wellness

Sound the Sirens PARKVIEW TO ADD 81 NEW PATIENT BEDS

fifth floors are finished. The third floor will be an interstational area where hospital personnel can network and discuss medicine, while the sixth floor will be for administrative offices. Baxter says once the construction project is completed, there will still be a limited mix of semiprivate rooms at Parkview Medical that will only be utilized when overcrowding becomes an issue. However, most of the rooms at PMC will be private suites. The new addition is the latest in a pattern of consistent growth for Parkview. A nine-bed nursery providing 24-hour care to premature infants – those born as early as 30 to 32 weeks in a pregnancy – opened in 2008. The nursery also specializes in treating infants with health-related issues that require careful and ongoing monitoring. Parkview provides the region’s most experienced certified Level II Trauma Center, which is staffed 24 hours a day by board-certified physicians and

STAFF PHOTO

n several days during 2009, Parkview Medical Center was at full capacity with no more available beds for patients who might have needed them. “Those kind of days always make me nervous,” says Mike Baxter, president and CEO of Parkview Medical Center. “Hospitals across the country are faced with a lot of challenges, but not being able to admit patients who need access to medical services is the biggest challenge to me.” Help is on the way. Parkview is currently constructing a six-floor patient tower that will ultimately add 81 new hospital beds to the overall medical campus. That will increase capacity at PMC from its current 265 acute care beds to nearly 350 beds. The additional beds will arrive in three stages, as construction of each floor is completed, Baxter says. The lobby and second floor of the tower will open in March 2010, adding 27 beds. The rest will be added as the fourth and

highly trained critical care nurses. The hospital also is home to the region’s first certified stroke center which earned the coveted Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Additional specialties include cardiac care, women’s services, emergency services and neurological services. Parkview is the area’s only hospital to offer a complete behavioral health program to include adolescent, adult, geriatric and chemical dependency care. And to help heal and comfort the county’s youngest patients, PMC’s Kidsville® provides an innovative 12-bed pediatric department staffed by specially trained nurses. The newly renovated unit – made possible through the sponsorship of local businesses – features updated façades and rooms, state-of-the-art beds, flat screen televisions, DVD players and interactive elements to make children feel at home. The nonprofit Parkview Medical Center was founded in 1923 and is governed by a board of local citizens who provide support and direction to the hospital’s administrators. PMC, with 1,500 employees, also serves as the secondlargest employer in Pueblo County. – Kevin Litwin

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Arts & Culture

JEFF ADKINS

Tools used in the railroad industry are on display at the Steelworks Museum of Industry and Culture.

Mining for Heritage PUEBLO MARKETS ITS DIVERSE ETHNIC HISTORY

ueblo is mining its rich coal and steel history for valuable cultural heritage tourism opportunities. Working through the South Central Cultural Heritage Co-Op, Pueblo has joined forces with four neighboring counties to assess, develop and market their tourism strengths – and they’re finding that the strengths are many, especially in building a program around the Steelworks Museum of Industry and Culture. The museum, a program of the Bessemer Historical Society, is being developed in the buildings that formerly served as the headquarters for the Colorado Fuel and Iron Corporation, PU E B LO

which was started in 1880 and later owned by John Rockefeller Jr. Once completed, it will be the largest exhibit of its kind in the United States. “The best thing they have is the most complete corporate archives of any corporation in America,” says Judy Walden, president of Walden Mills Group of Denver, the firm that has been hired to work with the co-op. “It is important to our regional story because the company owned the steel mill in Pueblo, but they also owned 62 mines located through the region. “With three full-time archivists, it is expected that it will take three to five years to assess and catalog the 34,000

maps and drawings of the mines, camps and community buildings. It is an extraordinary collection,” Walden says. “It’s just at the edge of possibilities once they pull this all together.” It is an intact archive, she says, one that includes employment records and photographs – a microcosm of Ellis Island, because so many immigrants settled in southern Colorado to work in the mines and the mills. “This is a treasure trove for people who are doing the genealogy of their families, because at one time there were 30,000 people working in the mines,” Walden explains. “That gives you an idea of how many they have records on, and they can trace the story of the region. In terms of cultural heritage travel, it’s not just the notion of bringing the regional history together so people can get at it, but it is also allowing people to find their own personal history. It’s a whole opportunity for the entire region.” Studies show that cultural heritage travelers are typically well educated, well traveled, have a higher-thanaverage income and are interested in authenticity – which Pueblo and the region have in spades. “It’s really incredible that, in addition to this fantastic mining heritage, there is authentic food and drink from this culturally diverse area,” Walden says. “There are Slovenian and Mexican and Greek taverns and churches and grocery stores. History is still alive in the neighborhoods.” Add to that interesting mix the magnificent scenery and a prolific arts community, and you have a perfectly positioned tourism effort. “Their possibilities are so exciting, and they are working together beautifully,” Walden says of the coalition. “They are telling their authentic story and connecting people to that through historic buildings, taverns, food, the arts, the museums. They are always coming up with ways they can find they are connected.” – Betsy Williams I M AG E S P U E B L O . C O M

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Sports & Recreation

Field of Their Dreams NEW PARK OFFERS UP BALL FIELDS, GREEN SPACE, WALKING TRAILS AND MORE

hanks to hard work from community organizations and a major gift from the Denver Broncos, a new youth sports center is taking shape near Lake Minnequa. The idea had long been kicked around between city officials and community leaders to develop an unused, 320-acre parcel into a recreation and open-space area to serve the city’s South Side. As part of this development, the lake itself will be restored and stocked with fish, while a walking/hiking trail will be constructed around it. A picnic shelter, playground and other amenities will round out the parkland site. As for athletics, several playing fields for baseball, basketball and football are on tap. To develop those as well as some building infrastructure, a $250,000 matching grant has been secured from the National Football League and the Denver Broncos, says Jim Martin, a Pueblo police detective and president of the Pueblo Police Activities League. “For a project of this magnitude to move this fast is very impressive,” says Martin, who hopes to have teams on the fields by August 2010. “We’ve had the backing of the city and the county, and a lot of other partners. It’s really nice to see the community get behind us to further develop a project for our youth.” Martin, who also is head coach at Roncalli Middle School, says things really heated up when several coaches and volunteers got involved with the Denver Broncos’ Youth Football Task Force and learned of the team’s annual grant. “Our proposal said we’d form an organization to run a sports complex, and would use it to benefit the community and provide certification for coaches and officials,” Martin says. “We eventually received the grant, and everything really got moving.”

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Current plans for the complex call for up to 75 acres of grass that can be marked out in various configurations for football, soccer and lacrosse fields. That can yield four full-size, high school fields, according to Martin. There also will be an office building for the police activity league, as well as concession stand, restrooms and storage. The park hasn’t been formally named yet, but there is talk of honoring the late Nick Heine, a Pueblo police officer who died in 2008 and was

known for his involvement in youth coaching in the area. City officials are likely to officially name the park in the months prior to its opening. Whatever it’s called, Martin says he and a lot of other people just can’t wait until that first ref’s whistle is blown. “Our youth are our richest asset, and something like this will really help to develop them,” Martin says. “This is going to be a wonderful place and make our community better as a whole.” – Joe Morris

“We learned that the winning project had to be in the state of Colorado, and that it was something that would be backed by the NFL.”

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Education

From a Distance PUEBLO’S SCHOOL DISTRICT 70 REACHES STUDENTS THROUGH DISTANCE LEARNING

ith four high schools dotted over the county’s 1,800 square miles – some as far as 40 miles apart -in Pueblo’s School District 70 students are learning from a distance. Newly installed distance-learning equipment is enabling the system to offer advanced and foreign language classes at all high schools, according to Ginger Andenucio, assistant superintendent of instruction.

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“Our two smaller high schools have a hard time offering some courses, especially foreign language, so this gives them the opportunity to offer those classes,” she says. Most popular has been Italian, but students are also able to sign up for advanced literature 3 and 4, advanced history and Spanish 3. “The response has been good,” says Tim Yates, director of technology. “The students have enjoyed it, but some of the students who never had that experience before found it challenging at the start. They are accustomed to face-to-face instruction, so it is different having to talk to a screen.” The screen to which he refers is the Promethean whiteboard, which is present in every classroom throughout the system’s 22 elementary, middle and high schools. “We decided to start relatively small to work out all the issues,” Andenucio says of the $95,000 investment. “It’s a whole new concept for staff and

students, but it is something we will continue to build upon.” Andenucio admits that, while distance-learning is a money-saving feature, it isn’t the main goal. “We installed the system to offer students classes they otherwise would not be getting,” she says. “The opportunities are unlimited. Each of our high schools offers something that eventually can be offered to our other high schools.” And the concept will not be limited to high schools, Yates says. “We may need to drop down to the middle school levels where the math teacher may be at some other building in the district,” he says, adding there is a possibility that it could even expand to other systems. Students aren’t the only ones being offered instruction from a distance; staff development is also moving in that direction, Andenucio says. Distance-learning and Promethean white boards don’t represent the system’s only foray into technology. All high school students are assigned laptops at the beginning of the school year, and each middle and elementary school has laptop carts equipped with 30 laptops, which are checked out by teachers for various classes. “What the principals have seen with the laptops is that morale seems to be better and the students are more engaged,” Andenucio says. “We haven’t yet seen a change in overall test scores, but we have seen increases in subcomponents of tests such as geometry, which we attribute to our technology. Our whole goal is to go from a teacher-centered technology classroom to one that is student-centered, focusing on what students are doing with technology.” – Betsy Williams PU E B LO

Making a Difference STUDENT SUPPORT DIVISION PROVIDES NEEDED LEARNING TOOLS

ard work and and a little extra money are making a difference in the Pueblo City School System. The system’s Division of Student Support Services and Community Services, under the direction of Kevin Romero, promotes student civic responsibility, health and nutrition, athletics, transportation and student intervention through five departments serving 18,000 students. “I believe our division is going to have the biggest impact on the school system by increasing the graduation rate, decreasing the drop-out rate and expulsions,” Romero says. “It’s all about providing our students with the tools they need so they can compete globally.” Romero says that in just three years with this new division, millions of dollars and new resources have been added to the district, including 14 staff members in the Safe and Healthy School Department funded through a $6 million federal grant. “A project director, positive behavior director and specialists are working in the school system to support teachers in the classroom around positive behavior,” Romero says. “We have community advocates addressing drop-out prevention strategies and connecting families to the school system. For the first time we have mental health professionals working in the system, and we have bully prevention resources.” Romero is quick to praise the division staff. “We have great directors who come in early and work late. Through hard work and dedication, the school district is a much better place.” These support personnel are not in the administrative

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offices, Romero stresses; they are out in the schools, helping students and families and building partnerships with area agencies such as the YMCA, the United Way and the corporate community. A newly adopted code of character is being integrated within all the schools, where every student, parent and stakeholder signs off on the pledge of values. “The values of honesty, trust, respect, diversity, responsibility, persistence, citizenship, integrity and service have been adopted by the system,” Romero says. “We are building bridges to families, to the private sector, to non-profits. Everyone is getting on board in addressing the code of character.” Almost $850,000 in additional grant funds is going through the Student Intervention Department to support student risk programs and counselors. Statistics show that students who are hungry do not function at optimum levels in class, and the nutrition department has raised funds in excess of $300,000 to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables and new equipment and to address needs of the homeless. “We’ve come a long way in three years,” Romero says. “Creating this program to make this difference was a community vision, and it is community-driven. We have a cohesive division working together at different schools throughout the city. It has enhanced communication, resulting in better transportation, nutrition, student intervention. There’s a lot of innovation going on here. We have a great team. It’s all about service.” – Betsy Williams I M AG E S P U E B L O . C O M

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Community Profile

PUEBLO COMMUNITY OVERVIEW The air in Pueblo is so clean that residents often can see purple mountainsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; majesties from 70 miles away. That is one of the numerous advantages of living in this city with clean water, a nationally ranked school system and reasonable home prices.

services and facilities. And both are dedicated to providing the Pueblo region with excellence in medical care.

CLIMATE OVERVIEW EDUCATIONAL OVERVIEW Pueblo City School District 60 spends about $7,812 per student, in line with the state average of $7,826. The student-teacher ratio is 17; the state ratio is 17. Pueblo County Rural School District 70 spends $6,237 per student, and the student-teacher ratio is 19.

MEDICAL SERVICES OVERVIEW Southern Colorado is blessed with a pair of excellent not-forprofit hospitals: Parkview and St. Mary-Corwin medical centers. Both offer criticalcare transport from surrounding areas. Both have first-rate emergency room

The Pueblo County growing season is 180 days, but the countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elevation range (4,400 to 12,000 feet) can influence what can be grown in different areas. Crops such as alfalfa, corn, melons, onions, peppers and tomatoes thrive throughout Pueblo County, but all require supplemental water.

January Low Temperature 14 F January High Temperature 48 F July Low Temperature 52 F July High Temperature 91 F

HOUSING COST

$126,562 Average Home Price

14.17% Home Turnover Percentage

MORE E ON O ONLINE imagespueblo.com More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.

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Ad Index 48 ABRIENDO INN 3 8 B E L M O N T LO D G E H E A LT H C A R E C E N T E R

3 6 K ITC H E N T U N E U P 1 M A R R I OT T H OT E L S & R E S O RTS

42 B OA R D O F WAT E R WO R K S

4 8 M I S S I O N FO O DS P U E B LO

4 6 C & M CO N S U LTI N G L LC

42 N O RT H S TA R E N G I N E E R I N G

3 8 C K S U RG I C A L L LC 2 8 CO LO R A D O E A S T BA N K 3 5 CO LO R A D O S TAT E FA I R

C 3 PA R K V I E W M E D I C A L C E N T E R 2 P E D CO 4 6 P R A I S E A S S E M B LY

C 4 CO LO R A D O S TAT E U N I V E R S IT Y

47 P U E B LO C IT Y S C H O O L S

32 G R E AT E R P U E B LO C H A M B E R

5 P U E B LO CO N V E N T I O N C E N T E R

4 6 H A R P AU T H O R IT Y/ P U E B LO R I V E RWA L K

4 8 P U E B LO CO U N T Y CO M M I S S I O N E R S

Ad Index (cont.) 3 5 P U E B LO S C H O O L D I S T R I C T 70 7 R EG E N C Y R I D G E D E V E LO P M E N T 4 8 R E S TAU R A N T 1 52 1 4 8 R I C E RO OT C 2 S T. M A RY CO RW I N MEDICAL CENTER 42 T H E R E A LT Y P OS T 6 W I N GAT E BY W Y N D H A M