Vote on best stories of the decade
A lot has happened in the last 10 years — major fires, multiple building projects, memorable events, remarkable fundraisers and more. The Enterprise staff has picked 20 of the best stories of the decade (in no particular order), and now its up to readers to pick their favorite. See below for a recap of the top stories. The deadline to vote is Sunday, Jan. 5. CLICK HERE TO VOTE! (If you are experiencing problems with the online voting site, please email your submission to editor@jpipapers.com.) The winning article will be printed in full in the Jan. 9 issue of the Enterprise.
1. Chromebooks coming in January for every 5-12 student
Nov. 5, 2015 — Holyoke teachers are using this semester to become familiar with their Chromebooks that they will be utilizing for instruction in 2016. Students anticipate the second-semester startup of the school’s 1:1 device program in January — putting a Chromebook in the hands of each student in grades 5-12. Chromebooks, Chromebooks, Chromebooks. What exactly are they? How will they be used? Are they safe? Will they replace teachers? Will they replace textbooks?
2. 51st state ballot issue is a plea for representation
Oct. 10, 2013 — Better representation — not secession — say Phillips County commissioners concerning the 51st state ballot issue. Voters of this county will see Phillips County Referendum 1A on the Nov. 5 ballot that asks if the local commissioners, with commissioners from other Colorado counties, should pursue becoming the 51st state of the United States. Speaking to various groups in the community, the commissioners explained why the question is on the ballot and clarified their reasoning.
3. The Ben Cox 108 (give or take 47) climbs beyond $77,000
June 30, 2011 — You heard it right — 155 holes of golf in one day. That’s more than eight and a half rounds of golf, and Ballyneal member Jim Colton accomplished that Wednesday, June 22, far surpassing his goal of 108 holes. The whole 108-hole idea came out of Colton’s desire to reclaim the most holes in a day record at Ballyneal. Caddie Nick Flaa and assistant pro Gary Nelson played 100 holes a year ago on June 28, 2010. But the 108-hole day didn’t transpire last summer and was put on hold for Flaa and Nelson’s record to stand firm. When Colton, from Wheaton, Illinois, learned this spring about five-star caddie Ben Cox’s March 17 skiing accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down, he set the 108-hole benefit in motion.
4. 30,000+ acres burn in Logan, Phillips
March 9, 2017 — A large grass fire had the skies looking gray and local residents on high alert Monday, March 6. As of Tuesday, firefighters were still working to control the wildfire that has claimed several homes, outbuildings and livestock and over 30,000 acres. A Tuesday noon report from the Logan County Office of Emergency Management noted that a red flag warning was to remain in effect until 5 p.m., with winds reported to be gusting from the northwest between 24-55 mph. Haxtun schools closed at 11 a.m. and Holyoke schools at 12:35 p.m. Tuesday, when fire containment remained a concern.
5. Stegomastodon dig an experience of a lifetime
Sept. 29, 2011 — “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Issac Brandt, one of the lucky few who got to participate in last summers’ Stegomastodon excavation. All of the volunteers can certainly agree it’s just not an opportunity that comes around every day. Fossils from a prehistoric elephant were found earlier this year on Darlene Weis’ land southeast of Holyoke. “I felt real honored to have that on my land,” said Darlene. “It was a pleasant surprise. It’s something that doesn’t happen here every day!” Darlene’s son Randy Weis and his wife Renee spent hours with the Stegomastodon fossils alongside staff and volunteers from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
6. Shuttle loader takes Grainland to next level
Oct. 30, 2014 — Project plans have come full circle as Grainland Co-op’s shuttle loader and circle track project has begun initial fill processes, with its first load scheduled for early next year. The multi-million-dollar project takes Grainland, a locally controlled retail division of CHS Inc, to the next level, according to general manager Rick Unrein. The project located just northeast of Holyoke off Highway 23 and County Road 41, allows Grainland to ship commodities using a 110-car shuttle train.
7. It’s a dream come true: Phillips Co. raised the roof
Nov. 25, 2010 — “This is your home, your extended home ... Welcome home!” Phillips County commissioner Susan Roll Walters as well as commissioners Jerry Beavers and Bud Biesemeier, welcomed county residents, donors and supporters to their new “home” at the Phillips County Event Center. A celebration featured the “dream come true” facility Sunday, Nov. 21, with a program, reception and open house. The Event Center project, eight years in the making, has certainly been a community endeavor, and all those involved were honored at Sunday’s program.
8. Almost $90,000 pledged to child care in last week
Aug. 15, 2019 — “We’re finally here.” After years of dreaming and planning, the Holyoke Community Childcare Initiative is ready to get to work on a much-needed child care center in Holyoke. Project coordinator Trisha Herman gave an exciting update to a few dozen people at Melissa Memorial Hospital Monday, Aug. 12. The meeting served as a kickoff for a capital campaign to raise approximately $500,000 locally. Herman said almost $90,000 had already been pledged in the last week. HCCI is hoping to get pledges by Nov. 1, with actual checks due early in 2020. The local money raised will show potential grantors that the community is supportive of the project. Total estimated cost of the child care center is $3 million to $3.5 million. Herman said they have a huge list of funders they will be approaching for help to reach that goal.
9. Generous donors make chemo center a reality
Oct. 31, 2019 — “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” This quote is on the wall of the board room at Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke, and it was especially meaningful Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the open house of the new Londa Wernet Bradford Cancer Center. A community of generous donors continues to blow away expectations, said Nancy Colglazier, executive director of Melissa Memorial Hospital Foundation, adding that we may not know the magnitude of every donation. As of last week, the foundation had paid $165,872.32 for the project that was estimated to cost $170,000.
10. 5-year-old Blye is leaving on a jet plane
Jan. 20, 2011 — The orange shirts can still be seen on people around town, Blye is happy as ever, and his parents are counting down the days. The “quest” the McCallum family set out for will become a reality in just under two weeks. Blye McCallum, along with parents Gary and Andrea and grandparents Paul and Sheila Gift, are scheduled to fly out of Denver Tuesday, Feb. 1, on their way to Germany for Blye’s stem cell implementation by lumbar puncture treatment.
11. $30,000 grant, new plan for old horse barn keep pavilion moving forward
Aug. 10, 2017 — Phillips County has been awarded a $30,000 capital grant from the Boettcher Foundation in support of its Fairgrounds Pavilion and Education Center project. According to County Administrator/Planner Randy Schafer, the $1.6 million project now has $1,384,856 pledged. The 250-foot-by-350-foot pavilion will replace four existing livestock exhibit buildings and provide the opportunity for year-round events at the fairgrounds.
12. Homesteaders Park plans include handicap accessible playground
Aug. 26, 2010 — Phillips County has so many things to offer but one thing that is lacking is a universally accessible playground, and a group of volunteers is hard at work making that a possibility. “Yes, Everyone Can Play!!” is a project of the Phillips County Commissioners with volunteers Brooke Dirks, Shannon Schlachter, Michelle Vieselmeyer and Andrea McCallum. The idea is to build a playground facility for all children, including those with disabilities. In addition to the playground, the project will include an all-weather turf field and a frisbee golf course.
13. 800 cyclists bring variety of experiences, leave with new ones
Sept. 24, 2015 — From ages 10-88, from Australia to the Front Range, from local farmers to metropolitan politicians, approximately 800 cyclists of all ages and backgrounds passed though Holyoke Friday, Sept. 18, as part of the Pedal The Plains bicycle tour. They represented two foreign countries and 20 states, not to mention a great variety of bicycles, including tandem bikes, giant-wheeled penny-farthing bikes and front-pedaling recumbent bicycles. The pedalers rolled into town with the wind, set up camp and proceeded to make themselves at home for the chilly night.
14. Air ambulance to be based at MMH
April 12, 2018 — AirLife’s green and blue helicopter will soon be a regular sight on the helicopter pad east of Melissa Memorial Hospital. Brian Leonard, director of business development for the AirLife program by HealthOne, was excited to share information at the April 4 MMH annual forum. Leonard pointed out that AirLife is a stand-alone program. The relations with MMH are to lease the space, and they hope to be there within the next few weeks.
15. Harms marks 50 years as Paoli mayor
Dec. 8, 2011 — Virgil Harms has called roughly 600 meetings of the Paoli Town Board to order. That has to be a far-reaching record. He was 34 years old when he became the mayor of Paoli. Five decades later, he’s still in charge of the gavel at the monthly meetings of the seven-member town board.
16. Sprague standing strong after losing lower leg
July 25, 2013 — Smiles and giggles are what 8-year-old Luke Sprague greets his visitors with less than a week after losing the lower portion of his left leg in an auger accident on his family’s farm. “He blew those physical therapists away,” said his mom, Emma, in telling about Luke’s quick release from Children’s Hospital in Denver on Sunday, July 21, after his July 17 accident.
17. Three firemen injured when wind shifts, fire covers stuck truck in Yuma County
March 22, 2012 — Jennifer Struckmeyer of the Wages Volunteer Fire Department suffered second- and third-degree burns on 25% of her body in the Heartstrong Fire in Yuma County Sunday afternoon, March 18. High winds gusting up to 50-70 mph wreaked havoc on Northeast Colorado firefighting Sunday. Nine volunteer fire departments, including Wages, were called to the Heartstrong Fire in Yuma County. Meanwhile, Holyoke VFD was among around seven departments providing mutual aid at a grass fire southeast of Haxtun.
18. Track project comes full circle
April 3, 2014 — As the first track meet in Holyoke in 26 years is scheduled for Saturday, April 5, many people will see years of hard work and multiple efforts to bring an all-weather track to Holyoke finally come to fruition. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Saturday morning at the HHS Invitational, incorporating many of the community members who helped make the dream of a home track meet on an all-weather track a reality.
19. Sudden death of Chip Scheunemann leaves behind 3-generation department store
Oct. 11, 2018 — Sitting at the southeast corner of Holyoke’s lone stoplight, Scheunemann’s Department Store is something that’s hard to miss. If it looks like the stately, well-established business has been there “forever,” that’s because it has. Well, almost forever — nearly all of Holyoke’s 130-year history. And that’s why the unexpected death of 73-year-old August Freeman Scheunemann II — better known as Chip — rocked the Holyoke community on Sept. 19. Chip was part of the three-generation Holyoke icon that was one of the oldest continually run family retail businesses in Colorado.
20. Many make trek to see total solar eclipse
Aug. 24, 2017 — It may have been the first time in its history that the village of Arthur, Nebraska, had so many people there at once, and certainly it was the first time such a diverse crowd visited. Walking around the Arthur County Fairgrounds Monday morning in anticipation of the Aug. 21 total eclipse were people from all around the country — and even some international visitors. While some were flocking to nearby Nebraska to the path of totality, Holyoke School District Re-1J took advantage of the opportunity to view the eclipse right here in Holyoke.