Moffat County Locals

INSIDE: The Anson family Eveline & Eric Bacon Joe Belcher Kristie Bruce Santa & Mrs. Claus Brandon Corey Eric Graham Kathy Larson Bill Makin Tony Mercer David Moffat Moffat County senior citizens Tina Williams

Moffat County

LoCALS Santa and Mrs. Claus are ready to deliver toys to girls and boys across the globe. They wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and are proud of all of the Locals featured in the 2014 special section.

2 | December 24, 2014

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Thank you to our Loyal Customers for Another Great Year!

2013 - 2014

970.824.9380 • 211 W. 4th Street • Craig, Colorado

21103611

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

December 24, 2014

|3

SANTA and MRS. CLAUS: Spreading joy, merriment on Christmas

By Andy Bockelman

The legend has been around for centuries, and although there are many versions, the basic idea is that there’s a man spreading cheer in December out of the goodness of his heart.

Considering how many places he’s got to be during the holiday season, the people of Craig and Moffat County have been fortunate enough to have this jolly old elf around for an extended period.

It may be hard to believe, but yes, there is a Santa Claus, and he and his wife are becoming more and more visible in Craig in the days leading up to Christmas Eve, appearing at numerous parties and events before the big night.

Getting around a single town isn’t too complicated compared to flying around the world, after all.

There’s a great deal of speculation as to the true identity of this couple, who lie low in the off season under the aliases George and Ann Kidder. The names may fool adults, but the children of Craig instantly recognize the man known around the planet by terms like Father Christmas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle and Sinterklaas, even when he’s not in the red suit.

Santa and Mrs. Claus make appearances in uniform — outfits Mrs. Claus has made herself — a few times during the regular year, but once

Thanksgiving is complete, that’s when the real work begins. The Clauses are booked for dozens of local events each year.

The couple takes no payment for showing up to festivities, insisting that their only compensation be for people around the community to continue paying it forward by donating toys, food or funds to a worthy cause.

The other part of their job is just being available for people whose holidays aren’t always merry, said Mrs. Claus, who enjoys socializing with the residents of Sandrock Ridge Care & Rehab.

They also try to teach children the religious significance of Christmas and the reason for the season. Although there occasionally are kids with a stack of paperwork detailing their every desire, there are just as many whose yuletide wishes are heartwarming and often humorous.

The Clauses sometimes see skeptics in the crowd, usually age 9 or older, some who wonder where the famous reindeer are, the answer being that they stay out of Craig during hunting season.

Others are less concerned with Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and all the rest and more with the authenticity of the telltale beard. A tug of the facial hair usually will convince doubting children, but the questions about whether he’s “the real Santa” or if Santa even exists at all are met by a simple philosophical question by the big guy.

Photo by Noelle Leavitt Riley

Santa and Mrs. Claus made their annual debut at the Parade of Lights on Nov. 29.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

11 E. Victory Way Craig, CO 81625 970-824-7000

See all listings at www.remax.com Each office independently owned and operated

Pam Horn

Broker/Owner 326-6026 phorn@remax.net

1111 W. Victory Way, Ste. 110 Craig, CO 81625

Sandra King

ABR, CDPE Broker Associate 629-0596 sandraking@remax.net

(970) 824-3488

www.eyecare-specialties.com

365 Angler’s Drive, Suite A Steamboat Springs, CO 80488

(970) 879-2020

Moffat County Locals

4 | December 24, 2014

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

ANSoN fAMiLy: Trotting to holiday cheer

Merry Christmas to all of our amazing customers.

We greatly appreciate your years of continued support.

970-826-4000 575 Yampa Avenue

21104595

Sales & Installation

Photo by aNDy boCKelMaN

the anson family awaits more riders for their horse-drawn carriage during the third annual Festival of Trees outside the Moffat County Courthouse. The Ansons are always available for community events, giving back in numerous ways. This holiday season, the Ansons took hundreds of kids on horse-drawn carriage rides.

Photo by Noelle leavitt Riley

hundreds of Craig children lined up in Downtown Craig on Dec. 6 to ride the horse-drawn carriage at Down Home Christmas Celebration. Mardi Anson drove the carriage that belongs to her family. The Ansons generously give back to the community each year, and this year they made appearances at the Down Home celebration and at the Festival of Trees.The Craig Daily Press recognizes the Anson family as wonderful "locals" who give so effortlessly.

Publisher Renee campbell 970-875-1788 Office Manager & Circulation Manager Amy Fontenot 970-875-1785 Managing Editor noelle leavitt Riley 970-875-1790 Advertising Supervisor Sheli Steele 970-875-1782 Administrative Assistant Teri Bolton 970-875-1797

Section Layout lindsay Porter Writers & Photographers Andy Bockelman 970-875-1793 lauren Blair 970-875-1794 Janelle o'dea 970-875-1795 Advertising christy Barnes 970-875-1783 emily Padilla 970-875-1781 Advertising Design Anna Griffing, Veronika khanisenko, mack maschmeier, chris mcGaw, Jessica Wagner

970-824-7031 CraigDailyPress.com

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

Moffat County Locals

December 24, 2014

|5

Bill Mackin looks over the vast array of cowboy materials on display at the Museum of Northwest Colorado. A longtime collector of items like guns, spurs and other Western equipment, Mackin donated and later sold his collection to Moffat County and volunteers regularly at the museum.

Bill Mackin: Always a cowboy at heart

Photo & Story By Andy Bockelman

If you ask Bill Mackin where his hobby began, he’d tell you it started during his childhood at a neighborhood theater in 1940s Dallas, Texas, where he, like many kids at the time, were enchanted

by Western films.

For him, it was not so much about the men — he liked Gene Autry but didn’t care for Roy Rogers and got the impression “Hopalong Cassidy” star William Boyd was terrified of his horse — but about everything surrounding these cowboys: their boots, their hats, their saddles and perhaps more than anything, their guns.

“I’ve just always been fascinated by it,” Mackin said.

For decades of his life, the 75-year-old Craig resident amassed hundreds of Western materials by attending auctions and other sales, making contacts with a large variety of people and continually adding to what he calls “junque” — the preferred term of col-

lectors for the treasures that others might deem junk.

“It was always a kick because to me, they’re toys, and I had more toys than any other kid on the block,” he laughed.

To Mackin, the best items were those made between the Civil War era and the end of the 19th century associated with bona fide buckaroos.

However, he admits that one could hardly call him a cowboy despite an adolescence in Utah that involved lots of horseback riding and later in life, a short stint in the rodeo world that ended immediately when he broke his jaw.

Perhaps it was the freedom of the West that appealed most to him growing up as his family moved all over the country to accommodate his father’s career before finally settling in Salt Lake City when he was in the fourth-grade.

It was about that time the collecting began, becoming greater as time went.

Though the exact number of cowboy goods is something he’s long since forgotten, the process of compiling such a collection is something that’s brought him a lot of memories and ultimately a

good addition to his retirement plan.

The collection game was never a full-time job for Mackin, who worked professionally in the mental health field, but his interest was something that brought him a small piece of fame when he published “Cowboy and Gunfighter Collectibles: A Photographic Encyclopedia with Price Guide and Makers Index” in 1989.

Vintage firearms had rarely been out of demand, but it was about that time that an interest in gear like holsters, spurs and other materials had resurfaced.

“That was just starting to blossom, and I was fortunate enough to be right on the cusp of that,” Mackin said.

It wasn’t long after the release of his book that Mackin came into contact with Dan Davidson, director of the Museum of Northwest Colorado, arranging a loan agreement in 1992 for the burgeoning institution to share and display the items that were dear to his heart.

“He’s always been our go-to guy for that kind of stuff,” Davidson said.

Mackin officially sold his life’s work to Moffat

County in 1999 for more than $700,000 to become a permanent part of the location.

However, he’s rarely too far from the Cowboy & Gunfighter section that takes up most of the museum’s second floor. Twice weekly, Mackin volunteers at the outlet to discuss the historical aspects with interested patrons.

“To have someone you can depend on to show up on a given day like that just as a volunteer is great,” Davidson said.

Several copies of his book, which is currently out of print, are on hand, and he’s more than happy to discuss the details of the guns and other paraphernalia that made up such a big part of his life.

And, the obsession with cowboys still isn’t completely done. The research that he put into his guide more than 25 years ago, done before the digital age, continues in a new way thanks to Internet search engines.

“I’ve been like a little kid again ever since I discovered Google,” he chuckled.

Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or abockelman@CraigDailyPress.com.

6 | December 24, 2014

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

David Halliday Moffat Jr.: Moffat County’s namesake

By Janelle o'dea

David Halliday Moffat Jr., the last of eight siblings, was not to be outdone.

Photo courtesy of the Museum of Northwest Colorado

David Halliday Moffat Jr., July 22, 1839 to March 18, 1911, was “probably Colorado’s most financially able individual,” said Dan Davidson, of the Museum of Northwest Colorado.

Before he left this earth, Moffat dreamed of and built the Moffat Route.

The Moffat Tunnel, constructed and named posthumously, brought the route through the mountains and Moffat is now credited for the development of the Middle Park area.

Moffat was, as Dan Davidson of the Northwest Museum of Colorado put it, “probably Colorado’s most financially able individual.”

He grew up in a village a couple of hours outside of New York City. He left home at the age of 12 and found employment in the city. Eventually, he got a job as a messenger boy for the banking industry, and a bank president noticed his work habits and frugal lifestyle.

He then spent some time in the Midwest, Des Moines, Iowa specifically, before deciding to head to Denver. His original dream coming to Denver was of a stationer’s business. Moffat traveled to Denver in 1860 with two wagons filled with books and stationery.

Soon, his dream became something much different.

He migrated again to a village near Denver, Auraria. He set up a pioneer store there and it was said to be a “mecca” for pioneers who wanted to read newspapers and school books along their travels.

Moffat was also engaged in the gold rush and made plentiful interest money through buying and shipping gold dust. As coal production also began to pick up, Denver residents began to wonder when Union Pacific would get to them.

Moffat’s pioneer store business continued to grow as he continued to engage in real estate and mining investments.

He returned to his hometown to marry his wife, Frances Backhout.

They moved back to Denver together and Moffat began focusing on bringing rail to Denver. Moffat worked on a number of railroads, including the Denver Pacific Railroad connection between Denver and Cheyenne.

He worked on Denver’s tramway system and lobbied for a line between Pueblo and Denver. He was president of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad. He’s responsible for tracks between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction, and between Pueblo and Grand Junction.

He wanted to build rail up to the mining area of Creede, but when Denver & Rio Grande said no, Moffat ponied up his own funds and built the line himself. After turning it into a profitable operation, he sold it to Denver & Rio Grande.

At one time, Moffat owned more than 100 Colorado claims to mineral rights. He believed in the construction of the rail line to support Colorado’s growing coal industry.

Moffat’s most significant contribution to the county named after him is most certainly the railroad.

The Moffat Route ended too soon and too quickly in Craig, where Moffat’s private train car, Marcia, rests. The car was named after his daughter. The line wasn’t finished before Moffat died in 1911.

But despite the unfinished route, Moffat still contributed rail lines that carry coal to and from the Yampa Valley today.

“It’s the railroad. It’s the economic engine yet that enables us to do most of what we do,” Davidson said. “The community (of Craig) would be closer to the size of Hayden if it wasn’t for the railroad.”

Contact Janelle O’Dea at 970-875-1795 or jodea@CraigDailyPress.com or follow her on Twitter @jayohday.

The Staff and Residents of Bear Creek Animal Hospital would like to take this time to Thank you for your loyalty and confidence in us. We wish you and your loved ones a Safe and

Happy Holiday season.

Dr. Hepworth Dr. Visintainer Dr. Schrader Chelsea Lori Jessie Ann Gage Kim John Taya Amanda Angela Morgan

970-824-5964 • 2430 E. Victory Way

21102708

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

December 24, 2014

Photo by Janelle O'Dea

David Halliday Moffat Jr.'s private train car, Marcia, sits quietly on a chilly December Craig day.

y p p Ha ys!

a d i Hol

SENDING THE GIFT OF

www.mtnwst.com

21104586

1475 Pinegrove Rd. Suite 108 Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 970-870-0830

21103877

Peace of mind 100 E. Victory Way Craig, CO 81625 970-824-8185

|7

2000 W Victory Way, Craig (970) 824-0340

8 | December 24, 2014

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

Tonya Mercer: Running with the guys at home and at work Photo & Story By Janelle o'Dea

She may not be out on calls with firefighters, but Craig Rural Fire Protection District’s administrative assistant Tonya Mercer keeps plenty busy holding down the fort.

“I do all the ins and outs of keeping the lights on,” Tonya said with a laugh. In addition to keeping the lights on and the water running, Tonya sorts through payables and receivables.

She prepares material for board meetings and makes sure the district meets all of its statutory deadlines.

For the next election of fire board members, she said she’d be responsible for “pulling that election together,” and she shares Facebook duties with Captain Kevin Kernen.

Tonya also processes payroll and pension checks. She said the payroll she does process isn’t much.

“They spend way more time down here than what they’re actually being paid for,” she said.

Tonya answers to any of her 12 bosses; five who serve on the board of directors and seven who are fire department officers.

The firefighters themselves are a large part of why she enjoys her job and volunteered with

the district for years even before becoming the administrative assistant. Plus, Tonya’s husband Chris has been a firefighter with the district for over a decade.

“They’re just the greatest organization ever.

Who doesn’t like hanging out with firefighters?” she said. “They’re pretty cool guys and they do some really amazing things.”

While volunteering for the district, she’s worked all over Craig. Her employment across the place that “just feels like home” to Tonya includes Country General (now Murdoch’s), two different jobs at The Memorial Hospital, Craig Fire and Safety and American Family Insurance.

After college at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Tonya and Chris came back to Craig.

“We were just done being in the city, you know?” she said.

The Mercers came back to Craig for several other reasons, too.

“I like that it’s quiet here, I go home and I don’t worry about it,” Tonya said. “I like that I can still feel safe with my son walking from school to here afterwards and not worry too much about who might steal him or what might happen to him.”

She also said Craig’s rugged, open landscape appeals to her family. They rock-crawl, canyoneer and repel together. Chris and Tonya’s

Tonya Mercer, administrative assistant at Craig Rural Fire Protection District, assures the bills get paid and deadlines are met. When not in the office, she can be found on her 35 acres of land or rock crawling with her family.

9-year-old son Garrett enjoy dirt biking together. fied vehicles over extremely rough terrain. Chris The family tries to visit a different national park built his own “buggy” (lightweight automobiles with off-road capabilities) to use in rock-crawlevery year.

“We go on little adventures all of the time,” ing competitions. Tonya has both driven and spotted a rock-crawling vehicle. Spotting in rockshe said.

Rock-crawling means driving highly modi- crawling means standing outside of the car or

Moffat County Locals

December 24, 2014

|9

21103325

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

tonya Mercer Craig Rural Fire Protection District administrative assistant

I’m kind of domestic, but I’m not afraid to run with the guys.

1294 W. 4th St. • Craig, CO • 824-8566

Merry Christmas!

21103951

riding in another vehicle, giving the driver of the “buggy” directions. chris and his brother-in-law won nationals in 2010 for the F-toy class.

And, Tonya isn’t just a bystander while chris rock-crawls, canyoneers and repels. Though you might find her quilting or sewing her son’s halloween costume on a Sunday afternoon with a cat curled up on her lap, she doesn’t mind getting dirty.

“I’m kind of domestic, but I’m not afraid to run with the guys,” Tonya said.

Contact Janelle O’Dea at 970-875-1795 or jodea@CraigDailyPress.com or follow her on Twitter @jayohday.

Drive-Thru Espresso Centennial Mall Behind O’Reilly Auto Parts

Merry Christmas and Year! w e Happy N 21104054

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

115 W. Victory Way, Craig · 824-8663 www.draperinsurancegroup.com Cody Draper

Vicky Field

461 Yampa Ave

www.masterworksmechanical.com

970.824.4840

10 | December 24, 2014

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

Gordon Shelley

David Lyons

23 Years in Service

26 Years in Service

John Knoche

Stacey Rogers

21 Years in Service

24 Years in Service

Leon Harrington

Jeff Schankin

21 Years in Service

21 Years in Service

Cindy Keene 12 Years in Service

CHEVY TRUCKS, CHEVROLET, AND OUR EMPLOYEES who have served you for the past 6 plus years look forward to serving you in the new year.

Bill Guess 7 Years in Service

No matter what business you’re in, you need to provide a good value and serious attention to customer care if you’re going to succeed. As an automobile dealer in our home territory, we know that very well. We’ve been doing business here successfully for over 50 years.

Alex Wolf 11 Years in Service

We value every single customer we have. If we lose you as a customer, we try our hardest to win you back. In addition to providing world class products, we must sell at a fair price and provide the very best, most convenient service and warranty work after the sale. It is part of the deal! We stand behind our products and the work we do every day.

Steve Dunklin 19 Years in Service

After more than 50 years here, we feel like you know us, and we know you. You know our values, our morals, and our business ethics. You know our products and our people. You know what we provide to the Yampa Valley in terms of jobs and tax revenues, and you know our part in the local economy.

Joe Bird 10 Years in Service

Thank you for 53 years of business.

Thank you for buying locally!

Nikki Webber 15 Years in Service

David Wren 6 Years in Service

MEMBER ROCKY MOUNTAINS

www.cookchevrolet.com

21104582

Larry Cook

824-2100

1776 W. VICTORY WAY • CRAIG

879-3900

W. U.S. HWY 40 • STEAMBOAT SPRINGS

Scott Cook

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

Moffat County Locals

| 11

December 24, 2014

Computer Merry P

Christmas!

Call the IT experts for fast and Everyone stress-free service!

Wishing A Wonderful 2015 May the New Year bring Peace, Joy and Happiness!

From your friends at The Copy Shop

The Copy Shop Computer Corner

TOSHIBA Dealer Thank You for Authorized 970-824-4758 E. 4th St.,St., Craig E. 4th Craig Shopping Local! 970-824-475899• 99

21104587

Kathy Larson, the Craig City Clerk, has lived and worked in theYampaValley for the past 35 years.

Kathy Larson: A life of community service Photo & Story By Janelle O’Dea

Craig City Clerk Kathy Larson lives a life of service.

“We were a volunteering family growing up, and it was a real focus,” Larson said.

After growing up in Denver, she attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins and moved to Hayden. She’s been there ever since.

First, she worked part-time jobs in Hayden for non-profits or service-related organizations, such as the Visiting Nurses Association and the Hayden Public Library. In fact, she was on the board that got the library built. She worked also for five years at the bank in Hayden.

For the past 27 ½ years, Larson has worked for the city of Craig. She seems to constantly bounce between human resources and city clerk duties.

It makes sense; the two departments are “sort of combined,” likely for budgetary reasons, she said.

For the past year, Larson has done the jobs of human resources coordinator/deputy clerk and human resources director/city clerk. After she was appointed city clerk at the Nov. 11 Craig City Council meeting, City Manager Jim Ferree told her to advertise for the human resources coordinator/deputy clerk position.

Larson said she’s had several in-house applicants apply for the position and is just in the beginning of the hiring process.

But, over the past year, and really, over the past 25 years, what Larson has done for the city wouldn’t fit on one of Harry Potter’s longest scrolls. There’s not a whole lot she hasn’t done in the Yampa Valley.

“I haven’t snowboarded,” she admitted.

The human resources coordinator arranges payroll, benefits, pension, worker’s compensation and certain steps in the hiring process for city employees.

“There’s a little clause in there that says it backs up the city clerk in the city clerk’s absence,” Larson said. “The HR coordinator will learn how to do council meetings, they’ll learn how to put the agenda together and put it on the website.”

As city clerk, Larson enlists many other duties.

She said it mainly consists of city council, and taking care of the agenda and minutes. But there’s also making sure ordinance rules are followed and handling liquor licenses. The city clerk conducts municipal elections and licenses city vehicles, and she handles long-term disability and death claims. The list truly does go on.

Larson dropped out of CSU before earning a degree, but returned to academia at age 50 and earned a bachelor’s in business administration from Regis University. She said the school’s accessibility for remote students made it possible.

Colorado Northwestern Community College, where Larson (more or less) got her associate’s degree, began as a modular home sitting atop a mound of dirt across from the present-day VNA hospital.

“I got my degree though, I did some online; just the way we did it back then was crazy, but I was determined to get it,” she said. “I took some classes in Steamboat, I took some here.” She said classes were offered on VHS tape via U.S. Postal Service and some came through PBS from Denver.

“It was just, you could get a degree, but let me tell you, it was a challenge,” Larson said.

When she’s not virtually conquering a degree or holding the city of Craig together, Larson said she enjoys talking to fellow breast cancer survivors in the Yampa Valley. A survivor for 21 years, she said “there’s nothing like having someone to talk to who’s been through it.”

Larson was also a key player in the core group that launched Moffat County United Way’s Bridges out of Poverty program.

After 25 years of driving between Hayden and Craig, Larson said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I don’t mind the drive at all; it’s so pretty,” she said. “Even after 25 years I still love this job.

There’s just so much variety in every day that you come to work.”

Contact Janelle O’Dea at 970-875-1795 or jodea@craigdailypress.com.

Here’s to a season filled with warmth, comfort and good cheer.

Happy Holidays!

21104807

300 South Highway 13 • Craig, CO 81625 • 970-824-4000

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From

DONNA · SUSANA · KELSEY · AMANDA JERI & NANCY (32 Years of Service)

at Thank You To All Of Our Customers Who Have Helped Make New Images A Success!

Hair Styling Salon (970) 824-5705 • 337 West Victory Way • Craig, CO

21104808

12 | December 24, 2014

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

Kristie Bruce: Convenience with a friendly chat, no extra charge Photo & Story By Andy Bockelman

When you’re entering the city limits of Craig from the north on Moffat County Road 7, south on Colorado Highway 13 or west on US Highway 40, you’ll hit the crossroads where convenience store Loaf ‘N Jug sits.

If you’ve entered the shop on multiple occasions, you’ve likely encountered staff member Kristie Bruce, and odds are when you walked out the door with a candy bar, fountain drink or beef jerky, you felt a little more chipper than you did before.

Bruce has been a sales associate for Loaf ‘N Jug for about five non-consecutive years, a job she took because she felt something fast-paced and customer-oriented was where she wanted to be.

Whether it’s hunters, truckers, miners or passing motorists, there’s never a shortage of folks passing through the store, the location of which she refers to as “the best corner in town.”

“You see so many people, and I love meeting new people,” she said. “I’m a people person, everybody knows that about me. I’m a talker, and I like to talk to people about where they’re going, where they’re from.”

A resident of Craig since 1982, Bruce chats up strangers as easily as local customers. One of the things she likes most about being in Northwest Colorado is the small town feel.

Her children — daughter Ashton, 25 and son Corey, 23 — grew up in Craig, and she and husband Michael continue to appreciate what the place has to offer.

“I think the closeness of the community is what I like the most,” she said.

Bruce’s coworkers speak highly of her ability to touch people’s lives even in a small way from behind the counter.

“She has excellent customer service, she’s a very good worker and she’s great to get along with,” said Steffanie Jensen, assistant manager for Craig Loaf ‘N Jug. The sentiment is mutual, and Bruce said she believes the good rapport among colleagues at the store keeps people coming back.

“We’re busy, we’re friendly, and we just have a good time down here,” she said.

Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or abockelman@craigdailypress.com.

Kristie Bruce waves hello in front of the fountain drink and Icee machines of Loaf ‘N Jug. As a sales associate for the convenience store, she sees all types of customers, and as a self-described “people person,” she enjoys meeting and talking with many of them.

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

December 24, 2014

| 13

Joe Belcher: Cooking up some big plans for a local restaurant Photo & Story By Andy Bockelman

Since the age of 15, Joe Belcher has had a love for the kitchen, and after working in capacities like waiting tables and tending bar, his career in food is now at a new level.

Three months ago, Belcher purchased Gino’s Neighborhood Pizzeria & Grill from Steamboat Springs restaurateur Jeff Hubler, and ever since then, he has been determined to put the Italian eatery back on the local map.

Earlier this year, the business suffered from a diminished clientele when its liquor license lapsed, an issue that was one of the first the new owner rectified.

Bringing back the spot for someone new to the area was made easier by the fact that Gino’s was already well established.

“We’ve just got to get the word out again that we’re back with good food, with beer, wine and drinks,” he said.

The menu is largely the same, but Belcher has made some adjustments, such as his own recipes for marinara sauce, foccacia bread and Caesar dressing, as well as adding “homey” entrees like meatloaf and chicken fried steak, a blend of his own personality and dishes that are almost uni1694 Yampa Ave

versally beloved.

“You’ve got to keep everybody happy, and keep it simple with only the finest and freshest ingredients,” he said.

Belcher has an associate’s degree in restaurant management from Ferris State University and chef certification from American Culinary Federation, but most of his education has been on the job, ranging from being a butcher to an apprentice role as sous-chef.

The food and drink element is only part of having a successful restaurant, and Belcher plans to bring back popular features like Thunder Thursday, complete with live music.

Gino’s employees have responded well to the change in ownership, especially Belcher’s dedication.

“He’s here all the time, and he really cares,” staff member Justin Bingham said.

At first commuting from Steamboat, Belcher moved to Craig in October, and he said already he feels welcome.

The city reminds him of his hometown, Big Rapids, Michigan.

“I’m used to all the ins and outs of small town life,” he said. “To me, that’s America.”

Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or abockelman@craigdailypress.com.

970-824-5749

Joe Belcher displays the mock wine grapes and the painting of the Venetian canals that make up the decor of Gino’s Neighborhood Pizzeria & Grill. Belcher is a trained culinary expert with years of experience in the restaurant industry who bought the establishment earlier this year and plans to bring it back as a lively place to be.

MERRY

www.rockymountainautocraig.com

CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thanks for keeping it clean in 2014 with A1 Laundry, we look forward to 2015!

829 E. Victory Way Craig, Colorado

21104206

Rocky Mountain Automotive!

Thank you for 20 years of business & using our services.

Merry Christmas

and have a Blessed

Thank you for making our first year so successful!

We look forward to serving you in 2015!

New Year!

QUALITY REPAIR

PERSONNEL SERVICES TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT AGENCY

Office – Administrative – Industrial 469 Yampa Ave. Craig, CO 81625 | Phone 970-824-8822 | Fax 970-824-5959 flintpersonnelservices@gmail.com

21103708

21020486

From All Of Us At

970-629-8516 • 1058 N. Yampa Ave • Craig, CO

14 | December 24, 2014

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

& from

To all our locals, we wish you a healthy & prosperous 2015!

Locally owned & serving our community for the past 50 years!

21103317

KNOW HOW

FROM

E J BUNK AGENCY

EJ Bunk Agency would like to Thank all our loyal customers for a great 39 Years!

Season Greetings From

970-824-6970 • 95 West 6th Street • Craig, CO

Dennis, Becky, and Erin and

The Cool Water Grille Staff

Thank You Moffat County For Your Continued Business And We Look Forward To The New Year!

21020271

337 W. Victory Craig, Colorado 970-824-1764

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

Moffat County Locals

December 24, 2014

| 15

BRANDoN CoRey: Producing positivity in Craig If you haven’t had the chance to stop and chat with Brandon Corey in the produce department at City Market, do so. Your day will be better for it. corey is a man on a mission. Both as a father to his four-year-old daughter leilani (which means “heavenly flower” in hawaiian) and as steward of vegetables and shoppers alike, corey seeks to spread positivity and provide an example people can look up to.

“Starting at city market, I was just an angry 19-year old kid,” corey said. “After going through customer service training and really seeing how much you impact people with your words, it makes you feel good, like you actually are making a difference out there. It gets entwined with your way of life. And especially for me, I walk on the floor every single day and am amazed by the beauty I see in people.”

An employee of three years, corey calls himself a “city market Swiss Army knife.” his main department is produce, which he loves, but he’s also worked the front end, grocery and general merchandise.

“They call me Superman,” corey said. “every time it’s rushed or there’s a big thing going on, they look at me and say, ‘have you got your ‘S’ on today?’”

The produce department especially appeals to him as the healthiest spot in the store. he loves offering customers tips on how to pick and prepare produce, and said he often has older ladies come in asking for his recommendation on which apples to buy.

“I can efficiently tell them this apple tastes sweet, or this one is a little tart,” corey said. “I feel like not only am I helping them on an emotional basis but I’m also helping them on a physical basis as well.”

The friendly culture of the store is not just a façade, either, according to corey, who describes his co-workers as some of his closest friends. “city market is more like a family than anything,” he said. “People come in, and they feel at home because we are genuine.”

When not at work, corey prefers to attend to his business decked out in a button-up shirt, vest and tie. This summer, he conducted an experiment and went out one week in shorts and a t-shirt, and the next week, in nice clothes and a tie. “everyone just treated me with respect and looked at me in a completely different light,” corey said. “my main focus has always been my daughter and I would much rather my daughter grow up… and have the community and everyone around her think that I’m a respectful and honorable man.”

A moffat county high School grad, corey’s dream was always to join the Police Academy and eventually become a police officer, although his dreams have grown to include moving into a managerial position for city market. “not just a manager of a store, but I’d like to be a corporate manager at one point,” corey said.

“I just like to wear a tie.”

For corey, the store offers the perfect place to practice what he preaches. one of his favorite quotes: “one act of kindness can obliterate a lifetime of hate.”

“For the past six months, I’ve done nothing but dedicate my life to trying to exhibit examples of unconditional love and compassion towards not only people but all things,” corey said. “Because how many times a day do we see such negative things and think, how can we make that positive? I mean, just the simplest word can change someone’s life.”

Contact Lauren Blair at 970-875-1794 or lblair@CraigDailyPress.com.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

21105152

990 Industrial Avenue Craig, CO 81625 970-824-BOWL

“Produce guy” brandon Corey holds up his favorite produce item — apples — in the City Market produce department. An employee of three years, Corey loves his job for the opportunity it provides to add a little positive boost to customers’ days.

brandon Corey

City Market employee

They call me Superman. Every time it’s rushed or there’s a big thing going on, they look at me and say, "Have you got your ‘S’ on today?"

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our clients

Have a Prosperous NewYear

530 Breeze Street, Craig 970 824-9427

21104833

PhoTo & SToRy By lAURen BlAIR

16 | December 24, 2014

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

Eveline and Eric Bacon: Bringing home the Bacons Photo & Story By Lauren Blair

One of Craig’s most unusual pairs keeps a pretty low profile. On their own time, they enjoy being home together with their cats, but the stories, passions and talents of Eveline and Eric Bacon make them stand out in a crowd.

Eveline and Eric Bacon are a quiet couple, but the pair offers a wealth of interesting history, stories and passions. Here, Eveline poses with her Naturalization Certificate, which certifies her as a U.S. citizen. “I’m passionate about this country and about the people in this country,” Eveline said. Next to her, Eric shows off his mass multiplayer online reality game, Stalkersoup. It has been three years in the making, with two million viewers in three different languages, with a proposed launch coming this year.

h C r i y s r t r m e as M

and Happy New Year from Broth ers

g n i s s e c o r P Custom

970-824-3855 383 East 1st Street Craig, CO 81625 21104515

Eveline is Brazilian, with long dark hair and distinctively beautiful features. She works as a care coordinator for Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association, often putting her Spanish language skills to good use in helping to coordinate patient care with specialists.

At 6’ 2”, with a quiet demeanor, but one that indicates that this is not a guy you want to mess with, Eric is a Vietnam veteran, a product development consultant for some big-name companies, and a computer-gaming genius.

For the last three years, Eric has been holed up in his basement designing a mass multiplayer online reality game called Stalkersoup. The game is akin to World of Warcraft but uses real world graphics instead of what’s called flat space graphics.

“Mine is an actual world,” Eric explained.

“You walk on it and interact with everything in it. And, I’ve brought it up to a level that rivals any new game out there.”

The game is still in beta, meaning it hasn’t been officially advertised or released yet. Despite its relative infancy, Eric said the game has drawn over two million views and is being actively translated by gamers in Japan, Ukraine and Brazil.

“It went viral,” Eric said. “When I actually shared it with people, the website crashed because so many people wanted to download the game.”

Now in its fourth year of development, Eric is planning to release the game soon.

“My release is not set yet because it’s all based on how I evolve this last section of this initial release,” Eric said. “It’s a lot like writing a book.

Now it’s poised to be introduced on a regular basis to be like chapters in that book.”

Eric comes from a family of talented artists, with his grandfather, Irving Bacon, being the fifth most prolific actor in U.S. history, according to Eric. The younger Bacon was a child actor himself, playing a cadet in "Captain Satellite" from 1959 to 1962. He is also a one-degree connection to another world-famous Bacon.

An engineer by training, Eric said he got his start working with digital technology in the Army in 1972 as a high-speed digital communications expert.

“My scores were so high they let me pick anything that I wanted,” Eric said. “It turned out to be pretty cool. I got to go all over the world installing systems for automatic digital switching networks. It was super advanced for the time. We could send a message from the White House or

Pentagon anywhere in the world in two seconds.”

The experience turned out to serve him well, launching him into a career working with large media and technology companies, including Intel, Motorola, Boeing and MTV. It was the latter that brought him to Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1994 where he met Eveline.

The two met at a club when Eric was reluctantly hanging out with some business partners.

He happened to be in the market for an English speaker to create prompts for a phone call-in system for MTV. Eveline had recently finished her teaching degree and was teaching English as a second language. The group staying out dancing all night in typical Brazilian fashion, followed up by breakfast in the morning.

The two eventually got together (and Eveline’s voice could be heard all across Brazil whenever anyone called in to request a song), living in Brazil for a short time before moving back to the United States.

“We went crazy. MTV was sort of a fun thing,” Eveline said. “We met a lot of bands with MTV, so we had a lot of backstage experiences like the Rolling Stones.”

The two got married in 1997, moving from Florida to Hawaii and then eventually back to Brazil in 2000. Sickness and national tensions drove them back to the States once again, however.

“He got bit by a mosquito and got dengue fever,” Eveline said. “He almost died, it was terrible…Then when 9/11 happened, it was terrible because people were burning American flags.”

The couple high-tailed it back to Florida, where they picked Colorado to make their new home. After a couple of years in Denver, Eveline found a job as program manager with Communidad Integrada, which at the time had an office in Craig.

After two years with the organization, it downsized, and Eveline accepted a new job with the Visiting Nurse Association.

“My background was in education,” Eveline said. “I just made the move to health education, which is another passion of mine.”

Now the couple owns their own home in Craig, complete with three cats. They recently moved Eric’s mother, now 90 years old, to Craig to help take care of her.

“We like to watch movies, we like to cook and eat good food and drink good wine,” Eveline said. “And that’s pretty much it. We do like to stay home a lot.”

After so many adventures around the world, the quiet, small-town lifestyle suits both of them well.

“I like the country,” Eric said. “I don’t like the city anymore. I like it out here, nice and calm.”

Contact Lauren Blair at 970-875-1794 or lblair@CraigDailyPress.com.

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

Moffat County Locals

December 24, 2014

| 17

Moffat County Locals

18 | December 24, 2014

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

eRiCA GRAHAM: Keeping it clean PhoTo & SToRy By lAURen BlAIR

erica Graham

You might imagine a school custodian would have to clean up some pretty nasty messes from time to time, but so far the students at Ridgeview Elementary School have been pretty easy on Erica Graham.

as school custodian, Erica Graham keeps things clean and tidy for Ridgeview Elementary students.

A recent transplant to craig, Graham has been on the job for about three months now.

“I like it,” Graham said, but she leveled, “It’s a custodian. As much as you can like it, I like it.”

The michigan native found her way to craig through nevada and then Gillette, Wyoming. Graham and her girlfriend, Tessa Fulton, moved here to be close to Fulton’s parents. Fulton works as a paraprofessional with special needs students at Ridgeview.

Adjusting to small-town life has been tough at times, especially being gay, Graham said. “craig is small, so it’s like, trust me, I’m human. you don’t have to look at me funny,” she said. “It’s like that everywhere really. you’re gonna get that, but then people get used to it and mind their own business.”

Graham said one of the best things about craig is the abundance of good fishing spots.

“I grew up on lake huron,” Graham said. “I love fishing, I don’t know what it is. I’m just drawn to it... It’s relaxing and it’s just that adrenaline rush when you don’t know what’s on the end of your line when you get a bite.”

Graham enjoys the solitude of it as well, of which she gets an ample dose on the job since she usually cleans from about 4:30 to 11:30 p.m.

Ridgeview Elementary custodian

I love to do everything.

“I’m a night owl, so it’s nice,” she said. “There’s no one ever around… I have the tendency to bust out. I just jam and sing, and I’m sure I sing my butt off and people can hear me, but I don’t care.”

Graham’s latest favorite song to listen to on the job is “Uptown Funk” by Bruno mars.

While Graham sings on the job, her girlfriend will be putting her vocal talents to the test when she auditions for the popular TV show, “The Voice,” next month in los Angeles. Graham hopes to be there for her for the first part of the audition.

“She’s really good,” Graham said. “She occasionally brings her guitar and plays for the kids, and the teachers just eat her up.”

As for her own hopes and dreams, Graham wants to go to college, but she’s just not sure for what yet.

“I’ve thought about doing teaching, I’ve thought about doing some kind of counseling, something like that,” Graham said. “I’m not really sure … I love to do everything.”

Contact Lauren Blair at 970-875-1794 or lblair@CraigDailyPress.com.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thankyouforyourcontinued patronagetoMoffatCounty

(970)824-2792 • 1058 N. Yampa Ave. Craig, CO

LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVING YOU IN 2015!

21061111

1820 W. Victory Way, Craig 970-824-4945

21105135

THANK YOU FOR A GREAT 2014!

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press

December 24, 2014

| 19

Tina Williams: Protecting our furry friends Photo & Story By Noelle Leavitt Riley

You’d be hard pressed to stop by Tina Williams’ house and not see foster animals running around.

Craig Senior Social Center women hold flowers at the first Coffee and a Conversation event in August.

Senior citizens gain momentum Photo & Story By Noelle Leavitt Riley

The senior citizens in Craig are a dedicated group of highly intelligent and compassionate people.

In the last year, they’ve used their talents to create a Senior Social Center where they meet, play cards and have coffee each week, catering to a growing segment of society.

Smiles, good conversation, warm coffee and a sense of friendship light up their weekly Coffee and a Conversation each Tuesday morning, where nearly 50 senior citizens gather to enjoy one another’s company.

The camaraderie among attendees was

enough to warm anyone’s heart, as senior citizens crave companionship just as much as the next person.

Since the group doesn’t have its own designated building to host activities, they switch locations for each event.

The idea is a nice addition to the other groups and weekly events that take place in Craig to keep the city’s senior citizen population healthy and happy.

The Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association hosts Aging Well Wednesdays each week at The Journey Baptist Church, where dozens of elders meet for exercise, lunch and companionship.

For the last 8 years, she’s fostered cats, kittens, dogs and puppies in need of warmth, love and food. She also volunteers at the Moffat County Humane Society, helping with a variety of duties.

“We need to educate people on spaying and neutering animals,” Williams said, noting that if people would just spend the extra money and time spaying or neutering their pets, it could save lives down the road.

She also cares for feral cats, helping tame them into good house pets.

“I like taming the feral cats,” Williams said with a smile.

Her friends also notice her good work.

“She picks up the feral cats with babies and finds them homes,” said LaDeana Cook, who works with Williams at the Community Budget Center.

When Williams isn’t taking care of cats and dogs, she’s working to make Craig a better place for those who can’t afford much, including electric and medical bills.

The Budget Center offers assistance to those

Tina Williams works at The Community Budget Center in Craig. She also takes care of animals in need.

in need, one of many duties that Williams enjoys.

“We help people with their heat, electric, water and medical bills,” she said.

Essentially, her day job is to help Craig residents with their needs, and her night job is taking care of animals in need.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ALL OF US AT CRAIG POWERSPORTS Kevin • Jeff • Kyle • Lani • Taanna • Rebecca • Dylan • Seth • Curtis

and thank you all for your continued support. *Rich, Joan and Mozart

21102591

21104207

Celebrating each one of you for the heart you have for our community.

530 YAMPA AVE CRAIG • 970-824-6343

970.824.4455 508 Yampa Ave. - Craig, CO www.cornerstonerealtyltd.com

www.craigpowersports.com | 970-826-0060

20 | December 24, 2014

Moffat County Locals

A Supplement to the Craig Daily Press