Do the Right Thing.

San Luis is probably best know for The Stations of the Cross. Costilla County draws visitors from all over the west, know for it's fishing and hunting. Costilla county has records going back to the 1500's around the time of Coronado.

The story below is from Morning Edition on National Public Radio reporter John Burnett. The property has been ordered by a Colorado Judge to be shared. But notice the date of the reconized land grant, 1844.

Eugene Lobato, 74, is one of the Costilla County, Colo., ranchers who benefited from a historic court decision that gives him usage rights to the mountain called La Sierra, visible in the background.

Morning Edition, December 26, 2006 · Residents of Colorado's San Luis valley have battled for more than 40 years to regain access to 77,000 acres of privately owned land where they once had the right -- under an 1844 Mexican Land Grant -- to hunt, graze cattle and collect firewood. Ten years ago, a Colorado judge upheld their claims, ordering Jack Taylor, a private property owner, to share his ranch with families who claimed the ancestral right. But the attempt to reconcile private and communal land rights is not going particularly well.

In November I shared a terrific secret with you. I blogged about all of the wonderful hot springs there are around Colorado- Colorado is Up to it's Neck in Hot Water. Something the residents of both Fremont County and Pueblo County take advantage of having near by.

The Desert Reef Hot Springs near Florence Colorado is one of those terrific secrets. A family oriented place to take the chill off. Slightly off the beaten path(from highway #115 take Cty Road #120) but worth the effort to find. The views and the waters are spectacular. Enjoy the local wild life: Coyotes, Elk, Deer, Hawk, Eagles, Wild Turkey. Check out their web site for pictures.

Fremont county offers visitors The Royal Gorge Bridge , The Arkansas River, Phantom Canyon, The Gold Belt Tour and more. A short drive away is Bishops Castle , Cripple Creek , Pueblo Lake, Lake DeWeese .

Just more reasons why people enjoy Southern Colorado .

Gamblers in Cripple Creek got stuck up the hill, oh well! Denver, Ft Collins and Greeley saw record breaking amounts of snow fall this week. DIA became a hotel for 1500 or more prospective passengers. Colorado Springs became the unexpected center for bumper cars. Pueblo and Canon City received little if any snow from the record setting storm. Now is the time for the banana belt of the Rockies to toot their horn!

Pueblo and Fremont Counties historically receive 330+ days a year of sunshine. And while we didn't technically see sunshine, we didn't get buried by snow in our homes either. But when these storms kick into gear Pueblo, Pueblo West and Canon City get bombarded with Tumbleweeds! 

The Pueblo West WalMart was inundated from parking lot to front door. Near by business's and homes were held hostage by these angry, biting weeds. From miles away anybody out today could see smoke billowing up and then clouding against the cold air as the P.W. fire crews burned tumbleweeds Friday morning.

Click picture- Pueblo Cheftian 

Pueblo and Canon City are part of Colorado that doesn't get much snow. They get lots of sunshine and are a retirement heaven for those yearning to leave the snow shovel behind. But Warning TUMBLEWEEDS Bite!!!!!!

The antique town of Florence Colorado sits at the bottom of Oak Creek Grade and right on the Arkansas River. It's a town of various ups and downs, the economy of the town varies with the country. Florence has been a coal mining town, gas and oil town and a prison town. The Super Max, provides approx 600 jobs. But the local community goes thru it's daily routine largely unaffected by the famous neighbors.

• TED KACZYNSKI
• McVEIGH / NICHOLS
• ERIC RUDOLPH
• ZACARIAS MOUSSAOUI
• RICHARD REID
• AHMED RESSAM
• RAMZI YOUSEF
• NUESTRA FAMILIA
• ARYAN BROTHERHOOD

The Pioneer Parade, The Pioneer Park Concerts, Ark in the Park welcome visitors and long time residents. Antique collectors and artists alike know Florence for it's large varity of shops and restaurants.

Florence Colorado  is an antique town located on the Arkansas River near Canon City within Fremont county. Today it is widely known as the home of The Super Max Federal Prison. But this cute, quant town has seen much in it's 100+ year history. At one time this area produced more oil and gas than Houston Texas. Until the 1970's it still produced large qualifies of coal, the last mine shut down in 2005. In it's hay day the trains ran multiple times a day and every boarding house was packed to the rafters.  

Today visitors are welcomed to this town by antique shops and artists galleries. The rooms that once held minors are now apartments. This is a town full of living doll houses. Restoration continues on some of the historic buildings.

Not completely unheard of were houses of questionable reputation above the varous shops. Florence had the reputation of knowing how to entertain the miners. Many establishments would not allow men without families to stay.

The first meeting of Green Drinks International ~ Pueblo Style met Tuesday night 12-19-06 at The Gold Dust. This is a social group of like minded people who are concerned about the environment. Some of the things discussed were "Agree to Disagree" and "No Criticism". To "agenda or not to agenda" is still being debated. Plans for more meetings can be found at www.greendrinks.org. Click USA / Pueblo Everyone is invited to the next meeting and bring friends

Thanks to everyone In attendance:

Jame Trujillo Home Inspectors of Southern Colorado, Inc

Pam Simmons Allied Building Supply

Tisha Cassida "That's Natural"                                                                         

Dr. Donna J. Hinders                                                                                             

Shelley McPherson American Wiping Rags / The Rag Lady

Lou Lile PuebCO Properties - Realtor

Dena Stevens PuebCO Properties - Ecobroker

One of the older traditions around the holidays in Pueblo is the Jingle Bell Rock. A contest sponsored by the local radio station. KDZA hides a rock in the community. Daily clues are given and people trip over themselfs trying to find The Jingle Bell Rock. As the days draw on and nobody finds it the crowds looking for it grow. It's not uncommon for these large groups to be seen in fields or blocking traffic. Although it is my understanding that KDZA recognized this has become an issue and hides the rock in out of the way places as to not endanger people or property.

"The Jingle Bell Rock is Pueblo's oldest and most popular promotional contest. For more than 25 years, Pueblo families have grabbed their little ones, aunts uncles and friends - and warm winter wear - to hunt for the prized Jingle Bell Rock. The rock, worth thousands of dollars in prizes, is NOW IN HIDING. Listeners must listen to hear the exclusive on-air clues to help them find the rock. KDZA listeners can also visit any sponsoring businesses to pick up more clues."

Prizes this year add up to $10,000


- Cash from KDZA
- Outpost Harley Davidson Apparel
- Little Caesar's Pizza
- Gas from 1st Stop
- Jewelry from Cash America                            
- Groceries from Mesa La Gree's
- Sound system from Sound Energy
- Colorado Lottery Tickets
- YMCA Membership
- Allegiant Air Tickets

Super Fund sites, what do you know?           

How safe are your friends and family? What do you know about where you live? Have you tested the soil in your yard? Have you had the water from your tap tested? Is there a large occurrence of disease in your neighborhood? Material fact, what do you know?

• http://www.epa.gov/superfund/ Super Fund
• http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/co.htm National Priorities List
• http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/lovecanal/01.htm Love Canal
• http://www.epa.gov/region8/ej/pueblochemicaldepot.html Pueblo Chemical Depot
• http://www.epa.gov/region8/sf/sites/co/lincpark.html Lincoln Park Colorado
• http://www.wise-uranium.org/umopcc.html Cotter Corp Canon City Colorado
• http://www.coloradobrownfieldsfoundation.org/index.html Brown Fields

"Reaching the 1000th construction completion is a major milestone for the Superfund program said EPA Administrator Steve Johnson. "Ninety-five percent of all sites listed on the NPL are construction complete or have construction underway. This is a testament to Superfund's success and to EPA's commitment to protecting human health and the environment."

Brownfields are real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties takes development pressures off of undeveloped, open land, and both improves and protects the environment. http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/

All about Dena, and then some!

Thanks to Kristal Kraft and Margaret Rome for the invite!

OK - 5 things you don't know about me.

1) I've been on three episodes of American Band Stand, for those old enough to remember. A couple of Starsky and Hutch episodes, a movie or two. But don't blink, or you'll miss me.

2) I've never been married, but I'm taking applications, recommendations accepted.

3) I'm fourth generation Angel - from Los Angeles

4) I have no depth perception so down follow me in a snow storm

5) I am passionate about my friends. Ask me, I'm there!

I am Pueblo's first Ecobroker. My focus is environmental. As an associate broker with PuebCO Properties I help clients with all of their Real Estate needs. "Do the Right Thing" is not only a company motto, it's mine too! Call me I'm here to help! Visit my website for contact information. http://www.coloradoecobroker.com/

Deciding that my life needed some permanent altering, in 1999 I moved from Denver to Southern Colorado. This was a needed change of pace, not an escape. Without any family or friends around, it was a challenge, also the best decision of my life. I've made more friends here at one time than I have collectively in my whole life.

My goal in real estate is an obvious one. The benefits of this job is the people I meet daily. All of the people I've met in this business have had an impact on me. I learn from everyone I meet. The buyers, sellers, title people, Realtors, appraisers, down to the last receptionist has an impact on this business and I've learned something from every one of them.

Daily I strive and push myself to learn something or experience something new. I am Southern Colorado's first Ecobroker, a designation I studied for and throughly enjoy. This designation gave me the knowledge to help customers who want a more energy efficient, sustainable and environmentally friendly home.

Early 2006 I finished my Certified Sales Professional certification, this designation helps me guide customers thru the new home construction process. Currently I'm a member of the Pueblo Association of Home Builders, PAHB Women's Council, PAHB Sales and Marketing, PAHB Associates Council. Also a member of Pueblo Association of Realtors, Colorado Association of Realtors and National Association of Realtors. My next goal is just around the corner. I hope to start working on the Accredited Buyers Representative certification soon.

My newest hobby is blogging. If you haven't tried it I highly recommend it. Blogging is a great source of information and fun. When I'm inspired I try to write, and I've been published in a few newspapers. My two monsters, er dogs, are Nestle andHershey.Their names may be give you a hint to another hobby.

No two real estate transactions are ever the same. Buyers and sellers are never the same, circumstances change with ever deal. I've been in sales for most of my life, and I've always had an interest in real estate. This is the challenge I enjoy today.

I'd like to invite anyone to contact me, for whatever reason. I love meeting new people, talking about real estate and facing new challenges. And for anyone who is dieing to ask the question, is it real or is she a bottle blonde? Pick out which one is me - taken the day of my high school gratuation.

Or a little about Daylighting.                                                

Home buyers and builders are sometimes afraid of to much natural day light. Concerns about over heating and fading furniture are very real. Even the best low E windows are not always going to protect you. The key to daylighting is orientation of the house, over hangs and common sence.

Daylighting---the practice of utilizing natural light within a building, requires careful planning to balance heat gain and loss, control glare, and adjust for variations in daylight availability. This design strategy can significantly cut energy use in buildings and has wide applicability to many different types of facilities.

The next time you see a UPS truck or go into a Walmart notice how they use daylighting.

Resources  

http://www.rooflanterns.co.uk/mainsite/photos.html

 http://www.glasshouses.com/

http://www.puebco.com/ 

Frente - Chorus:
So let the sun shine in
Face it with a grin
Smilers never lose
And Frowners never win
So let the sun shine in
Face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in