Holyoke Enterprise |

Mr. Ginapp is gone, DBC, but his impact is here to stay

Clark Ginapp taught his student actors to act and react always. But off stage, when someone dies unexpectedly, how are we supposed to react? For many of Mr. Ginapp’s friends, family members and students, the reaction came, appropriately, in the form...

The Dragons take the field for the second half of Saturday’s 1A state quarterfinal game at Limon. Although the Dragons lost 41-15 and were eliminated from the playoffs, they ended the season with a 5-2 record. Coach Dusty Sprague said he is proud of the way the team handled all the challenges the 2020 season threw at them and the way they continued to battle. — Jessica Cumming

Dragon defeat at Limon ends football season

Holyoke Dragon football came to an end this season after a 41-15 loss to the No. 1 Limon Badgers in the state quarterfinals Saturday, Nov. 21. The Dragons ended their season with a 5-2 record. Holyoke opened up scoring for the day, taking a 7-0 lead...

Pictured from left are Sherry Simms, Bob Brandt, Cherrie Brown, Steve Brown and Zach Young.

GPRC honors service to the Peerless Theatre/Center

Four awards were presented for service to the Peerless Theatre/Center at the Nov. 19 annual meeting of the Golden Plains Recreation Center. Held at the Peerless Center, the GPRC meeting also gained viewers on Facebook Live. Those recognized by the...

Mayor, 3 council members sworn in

Holyoke mayor and three city council members were sworn in at the Nov. 17 Holyoke City Council meeting. Pictured from left are council member John Schneider, Mayor Orville Tonsing and council members Ashley Sullivan and Kevin Scott. They were...

Shawna Mason is the new general manager of Paoli Co-op. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

Mason transitions to general manager role at Paoli Co-op

Even in the midst of corn harvest, Shawna Mason experienced a smooth transition to her new role as general manager of Paoli Co-op. Mason is settling into the position after taking the reins the beginning of October. She has 16 years of experience at...

First Lady Grace Coolidge is pictured with White House pet Rebecca the raccoon at the 1927 White House Easter Egg Roll. Rebecca was originally intended to be Thanksgiving dinner in 1926, but the Coolidges adopted her as a pet instead. They took her on walks on the White House grounds, allowed her to roam the Executive Mansion and even took her with them on a vacation to the Black Hills. — Source: Library of Congress

Pardon me? How a rascally raccoon survived Thanksgiving and thrived

Presidents have often been presented with turkeys for the holidays. George H.W. Bush may have formalized the annual presidential turkey pardon that has since become a Thanksgiving ritual, but one lucky wingless critter earned a pardon and more in...

Local

Mayor, 3 council members sworn in

Holyoke mayor and three city council members were sworn in at the Nov. 17 Holyoke City Council meeting.

County stays at Level Orange

Phillips County will remain at Safer at Home Level Orange: High Risk with a local public health order in effect beginning Monday, Nov. 23, at 5 p.m.

By Andrew Nygaard, The Holyoke Enterprise

The Montelongo family from Fountain is one of five families being recognized by the Colorado Department of Human Services during National Adoption Month. When Thomas and Jeanette Montelongo married two years ago they both had children who were young adults or teens. At the beginning of last year, they decided to fill their empty nest through adoption from foster care. After first seeing their son Isaiah on the Colorado Heart Gallery, Thomas and Jeanette knew he would be a perfect addition to their family. They started the process of becoming foster parents with him in mind. This summer, Isaiah’s adoption was finalized, and the family continues to foster with hopes of adopting again.

November is National Adoption Month

In celebration of November’s National Adoption Month and to encourage more Coloradans to adopt from foster care, the Colorado Department of Human Services recently recognized five adoptive families

By Darci Rodriguez, The Holyoke Enterprise

Sports

The Dragons take the field for the second half of Saturday’s 1A state quarterfinal game at Limon. Although the Dragons lost 41-15 and were eliminated from the playoffs, they ended the season with a 5-2 record. Coach Dusty Sprague said he is proud of the way the team handled all the challenges the 2020 season threw at them and the way they continued to battle. — Jessica Cumming

Dragon defeat at Limon ends football season

Holyoke Dragon football came to an end this season after a 41-15 loss to the No. 1 Limon Badgers in the state quarterfinals Saturday, Nov. 21. The Dragons ended their season with a 5-2 record.

By Andrew Nygaard, The Holyoke Enterprise

Dragons make playoffs

For the third straight year, the Dragon football team is in the 1A state playoffs which start this weekend.

By Brenda Johnson Brandt, The Holyoke Enterprise

HHS leaves Rye blowin’ in the wind with 56-0 shutout

Playing in winds gusting up to 50 mph at Wiggins on Saturday, Nov. 14, Holyoke’s football team shut out the Rye Thunderbolts 56-0 to end the regular season.

By Brenda Johnson Brandt, The Holyoke Enterprise

Ag & Business

Pictured from left are Sherry Simms, Bob Brandt, Cherrie Brown, Steve Brown and Zach Young.

GPRC honors service to the Peerless Theatre/Center

Four awards were presented for service to the Peerless Theatre/Center at the Nov. 19 annual meeting of the Golden Plains Recreation Center.

By Brenda Johnson Brandt, The Holyoke Enterprise

Shawna Mason is the new general manager of Paoli Co-op. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

Editor's Picks

These large wood buttons are displayed on one of 100 panels in Mary Brunken’s button collection at the Phillips County Museum. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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Mary Brunken is interviewed by the Enterprise in 1989, the year before she donated her collection of over 12,000 buttons in 12 custom books to the Phillips County Museum.

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Mariann Landes shows off two steamer trunks full of interesting buttons, as well as two button collecting books, which were all passed down from her great-aunt. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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Out of all the buttons in her collection, this skull is a favorite of Mariann Landes’. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

Button, button, who’s got the button?
Elon Nelson leans against the counter in the room he has reimagined as a 1950’s diner. He has collected many pieces over the years to add to the room’s nostalgic atmosphere, including over 100 clocks. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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Elon Nelson’s Pepsi double bubble clocks show the changes made to advertising Pepsi over the years. He has over 100 soda advertising clocks in his collection. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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Jerry and Sue Cooper have been collecting Coca-Cola memorabilia for 40 years. Every piece in their collection has a story. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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This springbok figurine is made entirely of strips of Coca-Cola cans. Sue Cooper purchased it in Botswana while doing missionary work there in 2013. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

Soda clock and Coke collections really pop
This drawing in the Aug. 16, 1945, edition of The Holyoke Enterprise encapsulates the feelings of relief and patriotism many Americans experienced after World War II ended and peace was finally realized.

Remembering V-J Day
A July 16, 1920, cartoon in The Holyoke Enterprise captures the nation’s attitude about the women’s suffrage movement. In little more than a month’s time, women over the age of 21 in the U.S. would have the right to vote.

A century with women’s right to vote: Remembering the 19th Amendment
TISHA & TIFFANY: For Tiffany Watson, age 46 of Holyoke, being a twin means “always having a friend and someone who knows you backwards and forwards.” A downside is that when she goes where identical twin sister Tisha Goodemote lives in Berthoud, everyone thinks Tiffany is Tisha. (Read the full article in print or the e-edition!)

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PIPER & KYRAH: Holyoke twin mom Heather McConachie had her first funny but scary moment when she thought she had mixed up her identical twin girls after taking their hospital bands off. Now, Piper and Kyrah McConachie, age 15, are learning how to drive and making each other laugh so hard they can’t catch their breath. They come from a family with multiple sets of twins on both sides. (Read the full article in print or the e-edition!)

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JOCELYN & JORDAN: Fraternal twin sisters Jocelyn and Jordan Kingman joined a Holyoke family of “J” names when they were born three years ago. On their dad’s side, their great-grandma was a twin, and another great-grandma had twin siblings. Jeanette Kingman, the twins’ mom, said the girls are in tune with each other and never apart. “There isn’t anything they don’t do together,” said Jeanette. (Read the full article in print or the e-edition!)

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KRISTEN & KARINA: Karina (Kramer) Davis, age 32 of Holyoke, thinks it would have been fun to be able to pretend to be her sister Kristen Kramer of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, but the fraternal twins didn’t think they could pull it off. Davis said that being twins put expectations on them that they would have the same likes and dislikes. (Read the full article in print or the e-edition!)

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LINDYN & LAKYN: It’s been a blur, but Holyoke’s Luedke family has made it through the baby and toddler years with 5-year-old fraternal twins Lindyn and Lakyn. When mom Arika went in for her six-week ultrasound, the doctor joked that she was having Irish twins because her son was only 6 months old. “When she did my ultrasound, she heard two heartbeats. I was in shock!” said Arika. (Read the full article in print or the e-edition!)

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JAQUELINE & JESSICA: It’s hard to tell them apart, but Jaqueline and Jessica Mosqueda, age 19 of Holyoke, are actually fraternal twins. They even switched spots for a few days in the fourth grade, and their teacher never found out. The sisters say there are times when they have the same thoughts, and Jaqueline said, “Whenever my sister is nervous, no matter how far apart from each other we are, I can feel her butterflies.” (Read the full article in print or the e-edition!)

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ANDREA & ANGELA: Andrea Kammer, age 39 of Holyoke, admits she still can’t tell who’s who in baby pictures with her identical twin sister, Angela Edwards-Aker of Fort Morgan. In fact, their mom was scared to take the hospital bracelets off until Angela developed a birthmark. And eventually she began dressing the girls in different colors — Andrea in blues and purples and Angela in reds and pinks. (Read the full article in print or the e-edition!)

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DAVE & DAN: In consdering the pros and cons of being a twin, Dave Johnson, age 66 of Holyoke, said he couldn’t think of any cons, but one definite pro is that “you always have someone you can count on.” His fraternal twin, Dan, lives in Kersey and enjoys calf roping, while Dave likes to spend his time golfing. (Read the full article in print or the e-edition!)

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AZUCENA & SUSANA: Azucena Torres, age 42 of Yuma, always laughs when people ask if she and identical twin sister Susana Torres, of El Paso, Texas, are twins, because it’s a pretty obvious “yes!” She said the attention is fun until the silly questions start. “It gives people great pleasure to be able to notice the differences, but yet there are those that we grew up with that still don’t know who is who,” said Azucena. (Read the full article in print or the e-edition!)

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BRADY & BRANDI: Fraternal twins Brady Haynes and Brandi (Haynes) Lippert joined uncles Gale and Dale and Garry and Larry in the Haynes family twin tradition when they were born 34 years ago. Brandi, who now lives in Ogallala, Nebraska, said she walked first while her brother Brady, of Sedgwick, was the first to talk. (Read the full article in print or the e-edition!)

Seeing double
¿Hablas español? Parlez vous français? Sprichst du Deutsch?
Student Austin Durbin, pictured at left, and paraprofessional Letty Penzing engage in an e-learning session as coordinated by teacher Nancy Miles during Holyoke’s online schooling.

E-learning builds relationships in ESL, special education
Kids are pictured from left, top row, Wes Kramer and Bode Fust; middle row, Brodyn Daniel, Bryce Worley with grandpa Curt Lebsack, and Dawsyn Daniel with dad Dylon Daniel; and bottom row, Miller Fust and Bryce Kramer.

Worried about the nation’s food supply chains?
Emma and Chloe Benson, pictured from left, have benefited from their mom Sharlene’s own experience with online school as they work through their semester remotely.

Past home schooling and online classes give some parents a unique perspective amidst ‘crisis schooling’
In Rockland County, shaded in this map of New York state, 276 people had died from the coronavirus by April 20.

Winckler offers view of NY county with most cases per capita
Logan Osborne, a 2017 graduate of HHS and a junior at CU Boulder, went from studying in Scotland one day to rushing home ahead of a coronavirus travel ban the next.

College in the time of coronavirus
Believe it or not, this is a school assignment. Holyoke teachers are getting creative while providing instruction remotely in response to the coronavirus outbreak. One of first grader Evie Cooper’s recent art assignments was to create a color wheel out of items found at home and send a picture of the finished product to her teacher.

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Using her Chromebook to access Google Classroom, Paxton Gatton-Pollock’s current schooling method bears similarities to a traditional school day despite being conducted at home.

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Brenna Gatton spends one of her modified school days learning to till the garden. While Holyoke teachers provide instruction in their usual subjects online, Jennifer and Scott Cooper are taking advantage of their kids’ extra time at home to teach them about such things as gardening, cars and baking.

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Though Dragon’s Wagon Preschool is no longer in session, Archie Cooper keeps learning at home.

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Using headphones is something Hagan Gatton-Pollock and her sisters have found helpful while completing their schooling in close proximity to one another.

With 5 kids at home, school looks a bit different for one local family these days
Numismatist or masochist?
The opening of the Londa Wernet Bradford Cancer Center at Melissa Memorial Hospital is celebrated at an open house Wednesday, Oct. 23. Sitting in a comfortable caregiver chair, at left, is Boyce Wernet, Londa’s dad, and at right, in the chemotherapy treatment chair, is Brad Bradford, Londa’s husband. Pictured in back, from left, are Yvonne Wernet, Londa’s stepmom; Patty Wernet, Londa’s sister-in-law; Wes White, MMH chief financial officer; Cathy Harshbarger, MMH chief clinical officer; Ty Wernet, Londa’s brother; Cindy Lock, MMH registered nurse with chemotherapy/biotherapy certification; and Nancy Colglazier, MMH Foundation executive director. The center will soon be open for chemotherapy treatments in Holyoke. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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New equipment in the Londa Wernet Bradford Cancer Center is kept in a set of three sterile mixing rooms.

Generous donors make chemo center a reality
Dylon Lousberg, pictured at top right, is among the competitors in the 2019 Slackline World Cup FullCombo. He finished third overall.

Lousberg takes third in slackline world cup
Librarian Kathy Bornhoft, at left, and staff member Laura Krogmeier admire the chandelier, reportedly from South Africa, that hangs above the circulation desk. A photograph of Will E. Heginbotham can be seen on the wall of what used to be his formal dining room. China cabinets now hold books, and through the doorway patrons can see the original breakfast room with a Dutch mural on the wall. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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The Craftsman style bungalow at 539 S. Baxter Ave. is one of the most recognizable buildings in Holyoke. It was built for Will E. Heginbotham, a prominent banker, 100 years ago. The mansion, which is pictured in its early days, has served as the local public library since Oct. 5, 1969, and is touted as a community treasure. — Source: Phillips County Museum

Heginbotham mansion turns the page on a new century
Saving for college at any age
This recent display at Coors Field in Denver pays tribute to the 50th-year anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s walk on the moon. — Photo by Jes-c French

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Survey respondents are pictured from left, top row, Tim Bartels, Carolyn Fisher and Gary Krumm; and bottom row, James Scholl, Jeff Tharp and Mary Tomky.

50 years ago — US stepped foot on the moon
KC Martin is pictured at home with the medal and banner he earned after completing the 140.6-mile Ironman Boulder triathlon June 9. To his right are medals from two other half-length Ironman events that he completed in 2016 and 2017. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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“That’s why I did it,” said KC Martin, while flipping through photos with his wife, Gina, two days after completing the Boulder Ironman. Martin is pictured with his children — from left, Summer, Teagan and Tayla — after crossing the finish line.

Martins celebrate minting of Holyoke’s newest Ironman
Bob Bledsoe holds up the electric iron used to mark cattle with Bledsoe Cattle Company’s distinctive left-bowed quarter-circle brand. The brand is one of a few single-character designs in Colorado and has been in the Bledsoe family since 1945. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

Less is more in the big-money business of hot-iron brands
The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

May 20 blood drive to kick off 2nd year with lofty goals
A photo and a rose honor Cassidy Hale in the memorial garden at the 2018 Donor Dash in Denver. Maggie Busch and Jackie, Tayler and Randy Hale, pictured from left, completed the 5K run/walk to honor Cassidy and other organ and tissue donors, to celebrate the lives of transplant recipients, and to recognize those who continue to wait for a lifesaving transplant.

Organ donation: a chance to shine on
Brothers Ted Roos and Ken Jacobson, pictured from left, meet for the first time at J&L Cafe in Sterling last February. The two took a cheek swab DNA test at the restaurant that later proved their status as full brothers.

Roos connects with birth family more than 80 years after adoption
Though she transitioned to assisted living just a few months ago, 99-year-old Mary Allen is making the Carriage House home. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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In 1940, parents Owen and Eppa Young are pictured with their daughters, from left, Margaret, Wanola, Myrtle, Mary and Stella. Four older half siblings and three brothers who had died by that time make up Mary Allen’s large family.

Don’t hold a grudge; be thankful; enjoy life
Inside the sanctuary of the former First Baptist Church building, Matt Cole has established his collection of golf memorabilia, including a nine-hole indoor putting green. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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A tee marker from hole six on the Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Scotland, sits among the items in golfer Matt Cole’s collection. Behind the marker is a baptismal font formerly used by First Baptist Church and a wall of banners featuring famous golfers. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

In former church building, one man’s golf collection includes hundreds of pieces
Adding $7,800 to the evening’s fundraising total, Spinning on the Bayou was a new game at this year’s Legacy Event. Six chances to play the game were auctioned off, and the six winning bidders sent designated “spinners” to the front of the room to play. Cheered on by his team, Brady Dirks spins the wheel, while Melissa Memorial Hospital Foundation board members Jessie Ruiz Jr., Tiffany Weber and Brady Ring, pictured from left, wait to see his fate. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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Southern Charm costumes at the Feb. 9 MMHF Legacy Event featured such things as hoop skirts, gunny sack dresses, cowboy hats and Confederate soldier uniforms and represented southern locales including New Orleans and Mexico, just to name a few. Enjoying the social hour in costume are Chad Huffman, Jennifer Cano, Heather Huffman and Jason Greenman, pictured from left. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

$75,000 cancer center gift honors Londa Wernet Bradford
Sam Distefano, playing the role of a rescuer, signals a team on the shore of the Lions Club Fishin’ Hole, while Dustin Carrick, playing the victim, lies prone on a rescue sled. The simulated rescue was conducted during a Jan. 11-13 training for Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department and other nearby rescue agencies. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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Scott Korte of Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department and rescue instructor Dave Martin are pictured from left, as Martin gives encouragement to Korte, who is attempting to pull himself out of the frozen-over Lions Club Fishin’ Hole. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

Fire department stays frosty with ice rescue training
Shayla Hecht, pictured at center, gets her game face on and competes as a blocker for the Flat Rock Roller Derby team based in North Platte, Nebraska.

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While at a photo shoot for the Flat Rock Roller Derby Team, Molly Weils, at right, shows off the traditional roller skates used in the fast-paced contact sport.

Fierce. Fearless. Fast. Fit.
Ground has been broken and the footprint is starting to take shape for the new Phillips County Pavilion and Education Center at the fairgrounds. Pictured from left, county commissioners Harlan Stern, Don Lock and Joe Kinnie are at the work site, where project manager Matt Brasby said progress on the foundation is ahead of schedule. Skarco Design of Burlington has been contracted for the concrete foundation, and Maverick Steel of Byers has been contracted for both the building materials and its erection. The pavilion is expected to be finished in time for the the 2018 Phillips County Fair. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

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Mike Frazier measures hail that’s 3 inches in diameter — about the size of a baseball — at his home northeast of Amherst.

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Holyoke EMS director Brady RIng, pictured at center, addresses his junior EMT class at their final lesson May 23, which included setting up an on-scene landing zone and touring an AirLife helicopter. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications

Goodbye 2018, hello 2019!
It may not look like much to someone driving down a stretch of county road, but this mailbox has been standing throughout Bob Brandt’s entire mail carrying career — and that’s no small feat for a country box. The house that it accompanies has been home to three generations of a single family, and families with deep roots in Phillips County are commonplace on his route.

Letters & Lineages
Holyoke’s Cap Holtzman, pictured at left, does some sparring during World War II. It was common at the time for boxers to keep up with the hobby during their time in the service.

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Among old posters collected by the descendants of local 1930s boxers, this April 5, 1932, event is the earliest Holyoke Stadium fight represented.

Pay-per-view’s got nothing on Depression-era pugilism
Usable vacant properties in Holyoke as of Jan. 1, are indicated on a map of the city. Out of the 41 properties listed by the Phillips County Assessor’s office as vacant, 36 properties, totaling about 26 acres were identified as buildable by City Superintendent Mark Brown.

25-plus acres of usable Holyoke land offers room for development
Horses and buggies drop off customers at the mercantile at 105 S. Interocean Ave. in Holyoke. A business partnership in the early 1900s called LeBlanc and Scheunemann was profitable and resulted in this brand-new brick building constructed in 1907.

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While its front exterior and flashy neon sign — both from the 1950s — are different from the original structure, Scheunemann’s Department Store remains a business icon in Holyoke in 2018. — Johnson Publications

Main Street Icon: Sudden death of Chip Scheunemann leaves behind 3-generation department store
Where in the world do I come from?
Alejandra Almanza, daughter of Marcela Almanza, demonstrates how to use the AFEX remittance service available at Carniceria y Abarrotes Aldama in Holyoke. — Johnson Publications

Hispanic migrants sacrifice pay to help family abroad
Brittney Ferguson receives a few tips for successful paddling before her group sets out for some rafting.

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Brittney Ferguson, at left, participates in one of the many activities at a Challenge by Choice camp.

Traveling with Brittney the Intrepid
Jorge Cobian inspects cattle on horseback at Timmerman Feeding Corporation southeast of Holyoke. Cobian, who was trained in Mexico, is one of the ranch’s Spanish-speaking veterinarians. — Johnson Publications photo

CSU offers Spanish certificate for aspiring vets
Kaitlyn Thomas says her last goodbyes to her goat, Zach, before the junior livestock sale at the Phillips County Fair on July 28. The sale, which was held in the new Phillips County Pavilion and Education Center, was an emotional day for many in 4-H and FFA. — Johnson Publications

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Cousins Brandon and Austin Durbin are pictured from left with Austin’s goat, Ty, before the junior livestock sale at the Phillips County Fair. — Johnson Publications

Livestock auction a bittersweet affair for 4-H, FFA youths
Dearest Ida,
A new administrative team at Holyoke School District Re-1J is already at work to prepare for the start of the 2018-19 school year. Administrators are pictured from left, Shane Walkinshaw, JR/SR high principal; Kyle Stumpf, superintendent; and Andrea Kammer, elementary principal. — Johnson Publications

Building relations targeted by new school administrative team
Down the drain: City money is flushed away with wet wipe misuse
Recent CU graduate Max Levy joined the Holyoke Enterprise staff this week as a reporter. — Johnson Publications

Levy is new Enterprise reporter
Tayla Martin takes first place in the 100-yard freestyle, setting a new record for 11-12-year-old girls. — Johnson Publications

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Holyoke Swim Club is well-represented in the 15-18-year-old girls 100-yard breaststroke. Pictured from left, Anna Jelden placed fourth, Traeli Hutches third, Rylee Schneller first and Regan Van Overbeke second. — Johnson Publications

Holyoke Swim Club wins opening meet, breaks 6 records
Blye McCallum, decked out in one of his favorite Star Wars T-shirts, shares his infectious smile in a typical classroom setting several weeks ago at Holyoke Elementary School. (Johnson Publications)

Blye McCallum packs mounds of memories into 13 short years
Highline Electric Association crews are out in full force Saturday, April 14, to rebuild power lines and restore power to rural residents. Matt Miller, at left, and Eric Luedke do work from the buckets south of Fleming as warmer temps quickly melt the snow.

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Stacy Fulscher’s cattle weather the storm that blew into northeast Colorado Friday afternoon, April 13.

Spring blizzard shuts down northeast Colorado
The bullfighting featured in Bulls Gone Wild! will return to Phillips County on July 28 for the fair. — Johnson Publications file photo

Fairgoers, get ready for a ‘Small Town Showdown’
6 observations based on 6 young board members
1 year with Holyoke rec: What has the lodging tax done?
Carl and Kathy Schneller are anything but weary travelers. The Holyoke couple has traveled to roughly 85 countries and can’t wait to plan their next vacation. Here, they are pictured at Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, in Peru.

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Carl and Kathy Schneller strike a pose at the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx near Cairo, Egypt.

22 questions with 2 lively travelers
In fierce Bible quizzing competition, the first person to stand up gets to answer the question. A typical quiz looks much like this, with quizzers attentively listening to the questions and physically ready to jump up as soon as they’re ready to answer. The team pictured competed in the Youth Challenge 2018 Jamaican Bible quizzing tournament earlier this month. — Photo by Emily Malmkar | EMDesign

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Frances Patterson, seated at left, works with the team of students from Coronaldi School in Montego Bay, Jamaica, while students from last year’s Bible quizzing team look on. Formerly of Dailey, Patterson now lives in Omaha, Nebraska, and has traveled to Jamaica with Youth Challenge nine times. — Photo by Emily Malmkar | EMDesign

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This particular photo was taken on a February 2014 trip to Jamaica, but such scenes are common, as Rick Cleaver, pictured at right, has served on close to 60 missions trips to Montego Bay with Youth Challenge.

1 book, nearly 60 trips, countless lives changed
Librarian Laura Roth, pictured at right, sees Audrey Murray regularly as one of the patrons she delivers to at the Carriage House. — Johnson Publications

From one book-lover to another, access to reading is delivered
Community Excellence Award winners at this year’s Holyoke Chamber of Commerce Gala are pictured from left, Citizen of the Year Casey Blake; STAR of the Year Star 92.3’s Marc Maelzer and Michelle Harms; Employee of the Year Earl Downing; Youth of the Year Shianne Willmon and Josie Herman; and Business of the Year Cobblestone Inn & Suites’ Sue Razo, Scott Murray, Amber Salas, Jorge Salas, Carol Kumm and Bailey Hamaker. Not pictured is Youth of the Year Emily Jelden. — Johnson Publications

Excellence celebrated
A dinner service isn’t for everyone
Holyoke third-graders get their first glimpse of the solar eclipse Monday, Aug. 21. Students are pictured from left, front row, Alexx Mateo Zazo and Claire Hubbard; second row, Ricardo Goytia, Elia Wear and Sophie Rahe; and back row, Peyton Adams, Maelynn Frost, Daniela Castillo Marquez, Jackie Santiesteban and Roxy Santos. — Johnson Publications file photo

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This scorched semitruck lies on the Phillips-Logan county line, a fitting representation of the violent power of wildfires. No lives were lost in the March 6-8 incident, but extensive property damage covering 50 square miles became evident as the smoke cleared. — Johnson Publications file photo

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Holyoke High School boys basketball team, led by head coach Scott Dille, brought home the championship trophy from the 2A state tournament in Loveland, giving them bragging rights alongside the two other HHS boys teams who won the title in 2010 and 1984. Team members get their hands on the coveted trophy after defeating Sedgwick County 44-41 Saturday, March 11, in front of a massive Holyoke crowd. Emotions are running high for team members, pictured from left, in front, Austin Herman, Tyler Camblin, Arturo Dominguez and Brendan Mayden; and in back, Alex Strauss, Slaten Burris, M.J. Taylor, Wyatt McCallum and Anthony Beltran. — Johnson Publications file photo

Goodbye, 2017!
Donthe Lucas, Kelsie Schelling

Donthe Lucas arrested
Holyoke High School alumnus and Army veteran Robbie Doman addresses students and community members at the Nov. 10 Veterans Day program, sharing his story of service and life after an injury sustained in Iraq. — Johnson Publications

From soldier to warrior, Robbie Doman continues to inspire
The sale ring at the Phillips County Fairgrounds gets torn down in the early stages of preparing the site for the new Pavilion and Education Center that is to be built in the coming year to be ready for the 2018 fair. — Johnson Publications

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There one minute; gone the next
Wages Church is pictured about one year ago.

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Students gather at Wages’ last day of school in May 1921 with the Methodist church in the background.

Church bell still rings at Wages after 100 years
Jason Redman takes a measurement as he and Mark Brown re-install the bell at the City of Holyoke’s newly refurbished mini park. — Johnson Publications

Something old, someplace new
Dragon Blake Mosenteen gains ground for the Dragons behind the blocking effort of Seth Watson in Holyoke’s 12-8 win over Bridgeport Friday, Sept. 1. Mosenteen led the HHS rushing stats with 140 yards in 22 carries and scored a touchdown in the season opener. — Johnson Publications

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Dragon Trent Huffman (63) pulls down Bridgeport quarterback Drake DeMasters for a nice sack midway through the first quarter of Friday’s football opener. — Johnson Publications

Dragons hang on for 12-8 win over Bridgeport
Districts using 4-day weeks pass 50 percent
In addition to helping line up the Phillips County Fair parade for many years, the Holyoke Lions Club often gets in on the candy-throwing action themselves. In the 2012 parade, Don Beckius drives a golf cart decorated with lions, offering a smile and a wave to everyone lining the street. — Johnson Publications file photo

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Bingo nights from days gone by were made possible by Lions Club members, pictured from left, Don Beckius, Gene Hinck, Jean Brown, Larry Stein, Leroy Smith and Rich Brown. Bingo is not only fun to play but also raises money for a college scholarship.

Looking back on 75 years of service
Cesar Favela, in front, and Paige Marlow, Holyoke second-graders, gaze at the highly-anticipated solar eclipse Monday, Aug. 21. — Johnson Publications

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Holyoke third-graders get their first glimpse of the solar eclipse Monday, Aug. 21. Students are pictured from left, front row, Alexx Mateo Zazo and Claire Hubbard; second row, Ricardo Goytia, Elia Wear and Sophie Rahe; and back row, Peyton Adams, Maelynn Frost, Daniela Castillo Marquez, Jackie Santiesteban and Roxy Santos. — Johnson Publications

Look to the sky
Mothers sending their children to the next step in school hold their little students’ baby pictures close. Pictured clockwise from top left, Ashley Clayton and son Levi, who is entering kindergarten; Letty Penzing and daughter Juana, who will start at Purdue University; Tracy Steggs and son Bo, who is entering kindergarten; and Brenda Krueger and daughter Tara, who will start at Colorado State University. — Johnson Publications

A bit bigger than baby steps
MMH CEO Trampas Hutches, pictured at center, speaks at the State Capitol Tuesday, June 27, on behalf of the Colorado Hospital Association against the Better Care Reconciliation Act being discussed in the U.S. Congress.

Hospital CEO speaks at Capitol
This photo of two WWI soldiers in uniform is part of the Phillips County Museum collection, where actual uniforms are also on display. The man pictured at left is identified as Lauritz Peterson. (Source: Phillips County Museum)

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This is only a portion of a giant panoramic photo housed at the Phillips County Museum. In its entirety, the photo is a sight worth seeing in person. It is one of the many items donated to the museum by Leslie Taylor, who served in World War I and later lived in Haxtun. According to the museum, the photo is probably of the 35th Infantry Regiment at Nogales, Arizona, in 1918. (Source: Phillips County Museum)

Local WWI artifacts tell century-old story
Jane Imlay, at left, and future sister-in-law Louise Kuhl, mother and aunt of former Holyoke resident Jane Krueger, make camp in Omaha, Nebraska. The photo noted it was the first and only mud they found as they traveled the Detroit-Lincoln-Denver auto route in 1924.

Happy Campers
Pictured from left, Martha Nolan, Emily Ouillette, Christopher Burton, Julian Sanderson and Lara Milward walk through Holyoke as part of a pro-life cross-country protest walk. —Johnson Publications photo

Students walk for life through Holyoke on cross-country journey
Lucas Schlachter looks down the line as he drives a combine through a wheat field, owned by Douglas Kerr, several miles east of Holyoke last Sunday afternoon. —Johnson Publications photo

Farmers focus on harvest
See that small line running across the photo? Anchored between two trees about 6 feet off the ground, that slackline is Dylon Lousberg’s ticket to international trickline recognition. —Johnson Publications photo

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The average trickline measures just 2 inches across, but Dylon Lousberg has no problem maintaining balance as he bounces from his back to his feet to his chest. —Johnson Publications photo

Lousberg advances from GoPro Mountain Games to Japan
Golfers who played a combined 534 holes at the Ballyneal Hundred Hole Hike Monday, June19, are pictured from left, Josh Bills, Jim Colton, Gary Albrecht and Brandon Urban.

4 golf at Ballyneal Hundred Hole Hike
Food drive donations pile up at MMH