SCHOOLS BACK IN SESSION NEXT WEEK!
AMERICA's PARADE CELEBRATION HONORS VETERANS & MORE
BY JASON HILTERBRAN
America's Parade Legacy Award & Parade Award Recipients:
Parade Grand Marshall: Don Bendell
Parade King & Queen: David & Charlotte Burrous
Legacy Awards:
Veterans of the Century: Jack Sasser, Royal Schmidt and Leroy Keuhl
Veterans of the Decade: Richard Hilderbrand and Kathy Troutman
Veterans of the Year:
Trudy Gagas, Tim Grabin, Wendy Worrell, Steve Ropp, William Silvi, Paula Price, Bob Rylander, Mike Vendetti, Ray Linebaugh, James Sheridan, Ed Frushour, Marcus Widener, Erica Haferkamp, Carl Clink and William Hartless
Veterans Organizations of the Century:
American Legion Post 25 Florence and American Legion Post 13 Canon City
Veterans Organizations of the Decade: VFW Penrose Post 2788 and VFW Post 4061 Canon City
Veterans Organization of the Year: Southern Colorado Honor Flight
Community Service Award of the Decade: Debbie Bell, Randy Keller, and Ron Hinkle
Community Service Award of the Year: JoBeth Palmer, Shawn Carroll, Kim Bungard, Bill Ritter, David DelVecchio, Lisa Studts, Kathy Herrin, Kristi Lindsey, and Eileen Lakey
Citizens of the Century: Dr. Millie Wentz, Harold Watkins and Albert DiNardo
Citizens of the Decade: Mannie Colon, Sam Banning Brendan Pardue, Joanne Mohr, Todd Albrecht, Kelly Albrecht, Anita McCoy, Barbara Carochi, Paul Telck, Bob Adamic, and Delores Comstock
Citizens of the Year: Marty Lamm, Margaret Storm, Bob Stovall Cory Bungard, Susan Luck, Carrie Canterbury, Jeremy Nix, Kendra McFall, Kristi Lindsey, Gayle Mackinnon, Cinda Ruby, Rich Millard, Tami Ratkovich, and Brad Rowland
Other award winners will be announced soon and celebrated at the upcoming Legacy Awards Ceremony - the annual fundraiser for America's Parade. (More information to be announced soon)
Parade Award winners:
Most Patriotic Entry: Crazy Woman Ranch
Best Community Spirit: Fremont Count Commissioners
Best Youth Entry: Anita McCoy Dance Studio's Americettes
Best Decorated Entry: Florence Elks Lodge 611
Best Classic Car: Jodie Timmons
Best Classic Truck: Coleman Auto Supply, INC
Best Custom Car: Ryan's Rod Service LLC / Ryan Timmons
Hometown Pride Award: Andrew Converse
Veteran's Tribute Award: Women Veterans of Fremont County
Spirit of America Award: Jenkins Farms - Western Skies Winery
People's Choice Award: Anita McCoy Dance Studio's Americettes
America's Parade Committee:
Co-Chairs: Amy Dawn Bourlon-Hilterbran and James Sheridan
Members: April Dean (Treasurer), Kelly Cain (Secretary), Jenny Cristelli, Ryan Timmons, Jodie Timmons, John Hadley III, Brenda Hadley, Summer Orosz, Charlotte Burrous, Jackie Mohr, Jason Hilterbran, Mary Coughlin, Fran Black, Sue Kinzer, and Ray Linebaugh (Chaplain)
Sponsors / Partners: Rocky Mountain Bank & Trust, City of Florence, APEX Waste Services, Cristelli Insurance Agency, Ryan's Rod Service, Royal Gorge Region News, Anytime Document & Compliance Services, Millennium Grown, Quincy's Steakhouse, God & Country Music Festival, VFW Penrose Post 2788, Southern Colorado Honor Flight, Liquor Locker, American Legion Florence Post 25, Bigfoot Sundae & Outpost, DARE Printing & Sign, Royal Gorge Chamber Alliance, John C. Fremont Library District, Bank of the San Juans, Authority Firearms Training, Gregory Carlson for County Commissioner, Emergent Campus, Bell Tower Cultural Center, Florence Chamber of Commerce and Tye Dye Sheep
PHOTO CREDITS: Tye Dye Sheep / Sage Goodwin
FIREFIGHTERS HOLDING THE CONTAINMENT LINES
BY JASON HILTERBRAN
Aspen Acres Fire Grows to More Than 101,500 Acres; Containment Reaches 61% as Firefighters Hold Containment Lines
Firefighters continue making steady progress on the Aspen Acres Fire burning west of Rye, though changing weather conditions continue to test containment efforts.
As of Tuesday's update, the fire has grown to 101,546 acres and is now 61% contained. Approximately 1,256 firefighters and support personnel remain assigned to the incident, which began on June 29 and was initially reported to have been human-caused, with the exact cause still under investigation, there are now reports of a powerline as a potential source.
On Monday, firefighters faced near-critical fire weather that produced increased fire activity across portions of the fire. Despite the challenging conditions, the fire largely remained within established indirect containment lines. A few small spot fires crossed primary containment lines, but crews were able to quickly contain those areas before they developed into larger problems.
Additional resources were shifted from other parts of the fire to reinforce the most active areas, while Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs) joined helicopters in providing aerial support. Ground crews, including hotshot crews and bulldozers, continued strengthening containment lines southwest of the San Isabel area in preparation for future strategic firing operations.
Above Rye, helicopters continued making water drops along the Millset Trail containment line to cool hot spots and help keep the fire north and east of established control lines. Throughout the fire area, firefighters are also using unmanned aerial systems equipped with infrared imaging to locate lingering heat and direct suppression efforts more efficiently.
Night operations remain focused on patrolling containment lines, monitoring for new fire activity, and extinguishing any remaining spot fires along the southwest edge of the incident.
In areas where the fire has already passed, crews have begun the long process of repairing fire lines and reducing future erosion. Heavy equipment and hand crews are working north of Round Top Mountain and the Mingus Ranch area on post-fire suppression repairs, while firefighters in the northern and eastern portions of the burn area continue mop-up operations, fence repairs, and landscape stabilization.
Weather conditions are expected to become somewhat more favorable over the next several days. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity, along with the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms, should reduce overall fire activity through the end of the week. However, officials caution that gusty and erratic outflow winds from thunderstorms can still cause localized flare-ups, particularly in steep terrain.
Several evacuation changes were announced Tuesday.
In Pueblo County, evacuation areas P2 and P3 have been downgraded from pre-evacuation to clear status, while residents in P1 remain under pre-evacuation notice. Colorado City also remains in pre-evacuation status.
In Custer County, evacuation zones C4 and C10 were upgraded Monday from pre-evacuation to full evacuation status. Other affected areas remain under either evacuation or pre-evacuation orders. Officials are also providing dumpsters at McKenzie Junction for food spoiled during recent power outages and remind returning residents to watch for hazards such as damaged utility lines, unstable trees, and compromised propane tanks.
In Huerfano County, evacuation orders remain in effect for Zones H16 and H17, while neighboring Zone H15 remains under pre-evacuation status.
Fremont County continues under an Awareness Status, meaning residents are encouraged to stay informed through official sources, monitor conditions closely, and remain prepared should circumstances change.
The San Carlos Ranger District closure remains in effect, and National Forest lands within the fire area remain closed to the public. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) also remains in place, prohibiting all unauthorized aircraft, including recreational drones. Officials remind the public that unauthorized drone flights can interfere with aerial firefighting operations and pose significant safety risks.
Smoke conditions continue to vary across southern Colorado. An Air Resource Advisor is monitoring air quality impacts, and residents experiencing smoke are encouraged to check daily air quality forecasts and take appropriate precautions when conditions deteriorate.
Fire officials continue asking the public to avoid active fire areas so firefighters and heavy equipment operators can safely complete suppression and recovery operations without additional hazards.
www.EmergentCampus.org
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Since 2019, Emergent Campus has attracted dozens of startups, remote companies, helped create more than 120 tech jobs, and generated an estimated $13 million in annual economic impact for Fremont County, proving that high-quality tech careers and innovation ecosystems can successfully grow—and stay—in rural Colorado!
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At Royal Gorge Region News, our mission is to deliver authentic rural American news that truly reflects the spirit of Fremont County, Colorado. We are dedicated to informing our community about local happenings, events, and highlights that matter most to our citizens.
