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What’s
Online 
Find out about the
plethora of cultural
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in Pueblo.

pueblo, colorado

CHILE POWER
Food Wars battle
slopper vs. slopper

E IS FOR
Entertainment
Revitalization plans
generate excitement

Sailing Right Along

Recreation options include
lake, zoo, Riverwalk, rodeo

sponsored by the greater pueblo Chamber of Commerce


 2011 edition | volume 17
®

pueblo, colorado

co nte nt s
F e atu r e s

12 E is for Entertainment
Revitalization plans
generate excitement.

22 16 chile power
Sloppers compete in
Travel Channel’s Food Wars.
22 heating up the grid
Businesses take advantage
of plentiful sunlight to trim
energy costs.
26 lesser known
recreation gems
City has excellent venues
for family fun.
30 current affairs
Vestas Wind Systems cites
workforce, locale in choosing
Pueblo for new plant.

d e pa r tm e nt s
8 Almanac
34 Biz Briefs
36 Chamber Report
37 Economic Profile
38 Sports & Recreation
40 Health & Wellness
42 Arts & Culture
44 Local Flavor
46 Education
48 Community Profile

on the cover Lake Pueblo State Park

Photo by Jeff Adkins

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printed on recycled paper containing

26 10% post-consumer waste.

Please recycle this magazine

pu e b lo 3
Building a Better Colorado.

TOGETHER.
Over our 15-year history, we’ve invested more than $24.8 million to improve the lives of all
Coloradans. We invest in nonprofits because we believe that Colorado is a better place to live, work,
and play when each and every person has the opportunity, support and resources they need to thrive.

The hundreds of nonprofit organizations in which we invest are committed to improving the quality of life for all of Colorado’s
residents. Our program areas include Arts & Culture, Healthy Families, Civic Participation, and Public Broadcasting.

Supporting fine arts and cultural

Support of programs that address
awareness initiatives that enrich
basic needs of Colorado’s children,
people’s lives and stimulate
youth and families including mental,
conversation, while challenging
emotional, and spiritual health, and
stereotypes and building bridges
essentials like food and shelter.
between diverse populations.

Arts & Culture Healthy Families

A strong, inclusive, democratic
Supporting public radio and
society needs individuals who
television programming throughout
actively participate in their
Colorado to help promote and
communities. That’s why we
encourage intelligent dialogue
support civic education, leadership
around important issues facing
development, community activism
our state.
and advocacy.

Civic Participation Public Broadcasting

iMPaCTinG YOUR COMMUniTY.

SOME OF THE NONPROFITS WE SUPPORT IN SOUTHERN COLORADO INCLUDE:

• Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center • Latino Chamber Development Corporation
• Pueblo Child Advocacy Center • Southern Colorado Community Foundation
• Pueblo Hispanic Education Foundation • Alzheimer’s Association of Pueblo
• Pueblo Community Health Center • KRCC 91.5 FM Public Radio

See a full listing of the Colorado nonprofits we support at www.gayandlesbianfund.org.

JOin Us.
Support local and statewide nonprofits that make our state great.

BECaUsE wE all CaRE aBOUT COlOR adO.

Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado

Advancing Equality. Stengthening Nonprofits. Building a Better Colorado.

 What’s Online 
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PuEbLO, COLORadO

Get the inside scoop from CHILE POWER

our photographers’ blog

Food Wars battle
slopper vs. slopper

E IS FOR
EntERtaInmEnt
Revitalization plans
generate excitement

Facts & Stats Sailing Right along

Recreation options include

Dig deeper with in-depth data lake, zoo, Riverwalk, rodeo

on industries, schools and more

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pu e b lo 5
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pu e b lo 7
 Almanac

Welcome to Pueblo
An introduction to the area’s people, places and events

Bronco Busting
Looking for a taste of the west? The
Pueblo-based Professional Bull Riders
Association has you covered. The
association sponsors the Wild Wild West
Festival, a four-day celebration each May
that offers everything from bull riding to
art shows to hot-air balloons. The event
takes place at the Colorado State
Fairgrounds in Pueblo and along Union
Street, drawing about 60,000 people. The
fest concludes each night with the elite
Built Ford Tough Series Pueblo Invitational.

It’s a Steel
Back in 1880, Colorado Fuel and Iron became the driving
force behind the development of Pueblo.
To commemorate the contribution of CF&I, a Steelworks
Museum of Industry and Culture has opened on East Abriendo.
Visitors can explore the history of steel making, mining natural
resources, heavy industry in the West and the many lives
touched by the largest steel mill west of the Mississippi River.
Exhibits include The Story of Steel, CF&I Through Time, and
Dispensary and X-Ray Room. The museum is open from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and admission is
$5 per adult and $3 per child ages 4-12.

Speed Thrills
The National Street Rod Association
has served street rod fanatics since 1970,
and that includes gear-heads in Pueblo.
Each June, the NSRA brings the Rocky
Mountain Street Rods Nationals to the
Colorado State Fairgrounds, and in 2010
the organization signed a five-year
extension to continue bringing the series
through at least 2015. More than 2,000
street rods are in attendance at the three-
day Pueblo event, with the value of those
vehicles exceeding $50 million.

8 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 The Plane Truth Fast Facts
More than 25 aircraft dating back to
n Founded in 1872,
World War II – including a huge B-29
the Colorado State
called Peachy – are on display at the
Fair is held in Pueblo
Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum.
each year at the 102-
The museum on the grounds of Pueblo
acre Colorado State
Municipal Airport is managed by the Pueblo
Fairgrounds.
Historical Aircraft Society. Starting in 1972,
then-Pueblo city manager Fred Weisbrod n The 3.5-mile-long
began collecting vintage airplanes, and Pueblo Levee Mural
today the museum also includes thousands Project is listed in
of artifacts. An interesting exhibit is a the Guinness Book
collection of women’s uniforms from of World Records
all branches of service in WWII. as the longest mural
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to in the world.
4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and
noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $7 n A whitewater park
for visitors age 10 and older. opened in downtown
Pueblo in May 2005
that covers a half-

Pueblo At A Glance mile stretch with

eight different
water features.
Population For More Information
Pueblo: 104,175 Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce n Lake Pueblo State
Pueblo County: 156,737 302 N. Santa Fe Ave. Park, an 11-mile-long
Pueblo, CO 81003 water reservoir,
Location Phone: (719) 542-1704, (800) 233-3446 boasts 60 miles of
Pueblo is situated beside the Arkansas Fax: (719) 542-1624 shoreline and is one
River in southeastern Colorado, www.pueblochamber.org of the top recreation
110 miles south of Denver. spots in the state.
Beginnings
The El Pueblo Trading Post was
What’s Online 
Take a virtual tour of Pueblo, courtesy of our award-
established in 1842, and the city of
winning photographers, at imagespueblo.com.
Pueblo was incorporated in 1870.

115
15
To Colorado
olo Springs
25
Ca
añon City
ty

50
67
Boone
Wetmore
e 96
Pueblo 96

96 50
78
165
6 Beulah
P U E B LO
Rye
Pueblo
10

pu e b lo 9
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10 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 All Around
the World
If you want an Asian adventure
without flying 10 hours to Asia,
then check out Pueblo Zoo.
The year-round destination has
exhibits such as Asian Adventure,
Serengeti Safari, North American
Grasslands, the Australian Outback
and World of Color. The zoo also
features a tropical rain forest and
an underwater viewing of
penguins, plus an Islands of Life
shipwreck journey as well as a
Pioneer Ranch friendly farm.
Pueblo Zoo is home to 400
animals from 140 species that
Juneteenth Day are living on 25 acres in Pueblo
City Park.
Juneteenth is celebrated in more than 200 cities in the United
States, including Pueblo.
June 19, 1865 is considered to be the date when the last slaves
in America were freed, and that day has come to symbolize for many
What’s Online 
African Americans what the Fourth of July symbolizes for all Americans. Find out why visitors go wild over
Juneteenth Day recognizes and honors black ancestry not for slavery, the diverse inhabitants of the
but for the freedom that was rightfully passed to them. Pueblo Zoo by watching a quick
Juneteenth has been occurring in Pueblo since 1981 and occurs at video at imagespueblo.com.
the Colorado State Fairgrounds Family Park.

Viva Las Vegas

Elvis impersonators, rejoice. There are now direct flights connecting
Pueblo to Las Vegas.
Allegiant Air announced in August 2010 that nonstop jet service
between the two cities would begin Oct. 7, 2010. The new flights
operate two times weekly – Thursday and Sunday – between Pueblo
Memorial Airport and McCarran International Airport.
Flights depart Pueblo at 7:25 p.m. and arrive in Las Vegas at
8:25 p.m., and depart Las Vegas at 3:55 p.m. and arrive in Pueblo at
6:45 p.m. Allegiant Air uses twin-engine, 150-seat jets for all the trips.

pu e b lo 11
 E is for
Entertainment
Initiative will make heart of Pueblo a boom area

12 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 Historic buildings occupied
by restaurants, shops and
apartments line Union Avenue
in downtown Pueblo.

pu e b lo 13
 Story By Kevin Litwin
Photography By jeff adkins
E
xcitement, enthusiasm, entertainment,
enchantment, excellence, energy – everything.
The Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce has
launched a new visitor destination initiative called
E District. The district is actually a geographic area in the heart
of Pueblo that encompasses the Riverwalk, Pueblo Convention
Center and the historic Union Avenue shopping district.
The initiative is an effort to further promote venues
that already exist in the E District, plus plan several future
projects to further enhance the area. Some of those proposed
projects are huge.
“Our Riverwalk channel currently runs where E Street
used to be, so this new initiative began with the old E Street
name and then we started using all the other E words to
market the effort,” Rod Slyhoff, president of the Greater
Pueblo Chamber of Commerce, says. “This newly named
district has a lot of entertainment potential, and much of it
will focus on attracting sports events.”
Expand and Establish More Hot Spots
Slyhoff says the chamber, city officials, urban renewal
officials, Destination Pueblo, the Pueblo Convention Center
and other groups are now concentrating on expanding and
establishing more venues that can be used for amateur sport
competitions in the E District.
“First of all, there are expansion plans for a large
exhibition hall inside the convention center where Pueblo
can host large volleyball tournaments, karate tournaments,
cheerleading competitions and wrestling events,” he says.
“There are also plans to eventually construct a regional
aquatic center and water park in the E District. The aquatic
Colorful international flags fly on Union Avenue.
14 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
center would have a lap pool for large swimming
competitions, with spectator viewing. There is a growing
demand for those types of aquatic facilities along the Front
Range, and we want one.”
Pueblo Already Welcomes Sports
There are also talks of the E District aggressively
attracting some big-name, sports-related retailers to
settle along Union Avenue.
“Pueblo already is home to the Professional Bull Riders
world headquarters, and the city hosts the annual 1A state boys
and girls high school basketball tournaments, as well as the
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s and women’s
basketball tournaments,” Slyhoff says. “A large soccer
tournament called the Sunbelt Classic also comes to Pueblo
each year, along with the National Little Britches Finals Rodeo.
We host a lot of sporting events – we just want to start hosting a
lot more. We want to be a destination for athletic competitions.”
It’ll Take Time to Develop
Slyhoff says E District is already within close proximity to
Pueblo Memorial Airport, and he believes several residents from
Colorado Springs would make the 45-minute drive to Pueblo to
attend sporting events once everything in E District is in place.
“This is a project that will take years in the development
process, but we have already begun construction of a building
that will house four restaurants and have office space,” he
says. “E District is an exciting project – it’s already home to
an inspiring Medal of Honor Memorial and a Walk of Valor.
This district is a lofty vision that this community is dedicated
to creating.”
 Union Avenue

pu e b lo 15
 16 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 Chile
Power
Sloppers compete in Travel Channel’s Food Wars
Story By Kevin Litwin
C
an one little pepper power
a city?
In Pueblo, the green
chile is a force to be
reckoned with. It’s the special
ingredient many local restaurants find
creative uses for, and it’s what brings
100,000 spectators to Union Avenue
each year for the Loaf ‘N Jug Chile &
Frijoles Festival. Most recently, the
green chile brought the city some
national media attention on a Travel
Channel TV show and helped earn
Pueblo a spot on Livability.com’s
Top 10 Surprising Foodie Cities list.
Chile Foods and Fests
Chile peppers are a mascot of sorts
in Pueblo. Nestled in the Arkansas
River Valley, Pueblo has cool nights, hot
days and frigid river water fresh from
the Rockies, all of which contribute to
the mira sol variety of pepper, affec­
tionately known as the Pueblo chile.
A large, flavorful chile that is thick-
skinned and easy to peel, these peppers
are addictive! The zing you feel when
you bite into a chile actually goes straight
to your brain, which releases the natural
painkiller endorphin to give the eater
that “chile high.”
Locals and visitors feed their
addiction every fall during the town’s
pu e b lo 17
 Loaf ‘N Jug Chile & Frijoles Festival,
the annual celebration of the array
of peppers grown in the area.
“The festival has definitely
increased the awareness of Pueblo’s
chile crop throughout the region and
state, thus increasing the demand,”
says Juls Bayci, communications
director for the Greater Pueblo
Chamber of Commerce.
Each year the farmers plant nearly
300 acres of chilies and close to 500
acres of frijoles. Farmers like Carl
Musso of Musso’s Farm sell thousands
of bushels of chilies worth tens of
thousands of dollars at the fest.
Amid pepper-eating contests, cook-
offs, craft booths and live music
performances, the smell of farmers
roasting chilies hangs in the air.
“It’s just getting bigger and better
every year,” said Musso, who owns the
oldest and most well-known chile farm
in the area. Many restaurants feature
Musso Farms chilies on their menus.
The Musso Farms pizza, at popular local
pizzeria Angelo’s, features sausage,
pepperoni and chilies.
Hot, medium or mild, Pueblo’s chilies
lend a little kick and a hearty flavor
when eaten plain, mixed into an entrée
or atop a tortilla chip. And if you think
there’s a limit to what chilies can do,
consider Pueblo’s other concoctions,
like green chili jams and jellies, breads,
stews – even beer. Whether they’re fire
roasted, barbecued or baked, Pueblo
green chilies kick anything up a notch
or two.
Sloppers Get TV Time
Smother a burger with the famous
chilies and top with raw onions and you’ve
got a slopper, possibly Pueblo’s most
unique contribution to the food world.
The origin of the messy meal (most
often served in a bowl, to be eaten with
a spoon) is a little cloudy. Although it is
known to have originated in Pueblo, no
one can agree on which restaurant was
the first to serve it.
Today, a variety of Pueblo
restaurants slop up sloppers, including
the Pantry Restaurant on E. Abriendo
Jeff Adkins

Fire roasting Pueblo chilies

18 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 pu e b lo 19
 Jeff Adkins
Jeff Adkins

Clockwise from top: Handpicking chilies at Musso’s Farm in Pueblo;

Annual Loaf ‘N Jug Chile & Frijoles Festival; The lunch crowd fills the
tables at Sunset Inn Bar & Grill, the recent winner of a slopper showdown
on the Travel Channel’s Food Wars.

20 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 and Primetime Sports Emporium on
W. 7th St.
In April 2010, Sunset Inn Bar & Grill
and Gray’s Coors Tavern were contacted
by the Travel Channel to compete,
slopper vs. slopper, in an episode of
Food Wars, the TV show that pits two
eating establishments against each
other in a competition to prepare a
signature dish that is unique to their
particular city.
“Travel Channel found out about
the Pueblo slopper on the Internet and
called us in early April 2010 to get
everything in motion,” says Chuck
Chavez, co-owner of Sunset Inn with
his wife, Gerda.
More than 1,000 spectators were
in attendance for the show’s taping
at the spacious Pueblo Union Depot.
“A Travel Channel representative
told me our business would never be the
same after the episode aired, and she
was right,” says Donnie Gray, co-owner
of Gray’s Coors Tavern with his uncle,
Gary Gray. “The episode was finally
televised for the first time on Sept. 1,
2010, and we have done a booming
slopper business ever since.”
By the way, the Food Wars winner was
Sunset Inn, whose slopper consists of a
three-quarter-pound patty, bun, melted
cheese, shredded cheese, hot green chile,
crackers, tortillas and onions.
“But honestly, we really make the
best slopper in Pueblo – most people
know that we do,” Donnie Gray says
with a smile. “During the first couple
weeks after the program was shown,
we were selling about 1,500 sloppers a
week. That’s why many people visit our
tavern – to have a slopper. The show has
been great for both places because many
residents of Pueblo never visited Coors
Tavern or Sunset Inn before the airing.
Now they do.”

What’s Online 
Hungry for more?Visit imagespueblo.com
for extra chile power.
• Take a video tour of Pueblo’s
green chile slopper restaurants
• See a video of the annual
Chile and Frijoles Festival
Antony Boshier

• Read about the Travel

Channel’s slopper showdown

pu e b lo 21
 22 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 Heating Up
The Grid Pueblo businesses take advantage of
plentiful sunlight to trim energy costs
Story By Joe Morris
Photography By jeff adkins
W
ith a thriving
alternative-energy
business sector and
plenty of local
companies building and rehabbing
facilities to take advantage of natural
resources, Pueblo’s going green at both
ends of the spectrum.
With strong sunlight almost every
day of the year, solar energy is leading
the charge here. New technologies are
allowing businesses of all sizes to add
solar power arrays to their buildings,
and the effort is proving to be worth
the cost.
Solar Array Boosts Savings
at Andrews Foodservice
At Andrews Foodservice Systems, a
new 100,000-square-foot warehouse is
powered primarily by a 100,800-watt
photovoltaic energy system designed
and installed by Vibrant Solar Inc. It
has 500 solar panels, and is expected
to reduce Andrews’ electricity demand
by at least 23 percent once it’s fully
operational, says George Andrews III,
president and chief executive officer.
The Andrews Foodservice Systems distribution center is primarily powered by 500 rooftop solar panels.
“It went into operation in March
2010, and we anticipate that we’re going
to see those savings,” Andrews says.
“It’s already helping us with certain
contracts, because we’re considered a
‘green’ company now, and so it’s good
for us in a number of ways.”
Solar Roast Coffee Breaks
Ground With Roaster
On the “small but mighty” side
you’ll find Solar Roast Coffee, which
was begun in 2004 by brothers Michael
and David Hartkop. They built their
first solar coffee roaster from an old
satellite dish, and have been upgrading
and expanding their groundbreaking
technology to keep pace with the
company’s success ever since.
“We’re currently in the process
of developing our fifth-generation
machine, and raising capital to build
our first-ever roof-mounted roaster,”
Michael says. “We’re going to build into
a historic building downtown, where
nobody’s done solar yet, so that’ll be
our next step.”
Black Hills Energy Builds
New Gas-fired Plant
On a much more massive scale,
Black Hills Energy also is utilizing
natural energy, albeit from a more
ground-up approach. The energy giant
is building a new power plant to serve
the Pueblo area, and will power the
$500 million facility with natural
gas, rather than coal, to lessen its
environmental impact. The gas-fired
plant is set to open by January 2012.
The plant’s ability to scale its output
up or down depending on need is key to
this area as solar-energy installations
can sometimes cause spikes, says
Christopher Burke, vice president of
operations for Black Hills Energy-
Colorado Electric.
“PV-solar is approaching the point
at which it begins to make more
economic sense for all customers,” Burke
says, adding that the plant will be able
to provide needed boosts in power if the
sun is blocked by cloud cover, or the
wind stops blowing to power turbines.
“The quick-response capability
pu e b lo 23
 incorporated into the design of the
Pueblo Airport Generating Station
projects make its units ideally suited
for this purpose,” Burke says.
CSU-Pueblo Leads With
Alt-energy Studies, Pilot
Projects
The world of academia is also heavily
invested in the region’s green future.
Known as the “Green University,”
Colorado State University-Pueblo has
research programs in everything from
alternative fuels and engines to
atmospheric monitoring. CSU-Pueblo
also has many physical manifestations
of new technology, including an
18.9-kilowatt solar array that ties
directly into the engineering building’s
electrical system, new LEED-certified
residence halls and an LED street
lighting pilot initiative in the larger
Pueblo community.
SECRES, CSU-Pueblo
Sponsor Expo, Solar Tour
The university also co-sponsors the
annual REPowering Southern Colorado
renewable-energy expo every August in
tandem with the Southeast Colorado
Renewable Energy Society, or SECRES.
That kind of outreach to both the busi­
ness and residential communities will
be key in the city’s success as a growing
new-energy hub, says Tom Corlett, a
co-founder of SECRES and a principal
in Sustainable Buildings Concepts.
“We want to keep doing things like
the expo, and our annual National Solar
Tour, that shows people projects that
are functioning, and the savings that
are being realized as opposed to just
being forecast,” Corlett says. “Our goal
is to show people that it’s actually
working; the more we do that, the more
people will want to come here, and we’ll
become the solar capital of Colorado.”

24 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 Andrews Foodservice Systems
is southern Colorado’s largest
commercial solar array.

pu e b lo 25
 Not Just a
Walk in The Park
City Has Unique Venues for Family Fun

Story By Kevin Litwin | Photography By jeff adkins

T
he staff at Pueblo Plaza Ice Arena plans to install
a laser light show in late 2010 or early 2011. That
light show should attract high school and college
students to public skating sessions on Friday and
Saturday nights.
It is one of several citywide recreational activities that
are being planned or are already in place throughout Pueblo.
“The arena is open year-round and offers public skating
sessions, learn-to-skate classes, youth and adult hockey
leagues, broomball and curling,” says Creighton Wright,
director of parks and recreation for the City of Pueblo. “Not
a lot of people know about everything that our beautiful
arena offers, but the word is getting out more and more.”
Additional lesser-known recreational gems in Pueblo
are as follows:
City Park Disc Golf Course
This 18-hole course is in the northwestern corner of City
Park. It opened in 1999 and is the third-oldest disc course in
the nation. City Park Disc Golf Course is open year-round from
dawn to dusk, and there is no charge to play.
“The course is challenging with elevation changes, trees and
other obstacles,” Wright says. “It is a registered member of the

From left to right: City Park Disc Golf Course;

Golfing at Elmwood at Pueblo’s City Park

26 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 pu e b lo 27
 Professional Disc Golf Association and has hosted the Colorado
Disc Golf Championship. There could be 100 to 300 people
playing the game at City Park on a given afternoon or weekend.”
City Bark at City Park
The 2.5-acre park opened in 2008 and the facility has
already won awards for its design. It features a water
fountain, tables and benches, and is located at the west
end of City Park between the two softball fields.
“City Bark is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and dogs can
run free once they are inside the fence,” Wright says. “It’s a
great place for both the dogs and their owners.”
Runyon Field
This Pueblo County-run ballpark is just east of Interstate
25 off the Santa Fe exit, north of Runyon Lake. There are two
high school-sized baseball fields and two junior-sized
baseball diamonds.
“Runyon Field was established in 1938 and Babe Ruth
played an exhibition game at the park that year,” Wright says.
“It is named in honor of former Pueblo resident and noted
newspaperman Damon Runyon, and continues to be a great
baseball destination and sports gem for our community.”
Kiddie Rides
At City Park across from the main entrance to Pueblo Zoo,
a Kiddie Rides attraction is open to all residents and visitors,
and is one of the best family values in the city.
“There are 12 rides for little kids, and the two favorite
rides are a carousel and a train,” Wright says. “The carousel
dates back to 1911 and costs 50 cents to ride, and the train
goes around Horseshoe Lake and also costs 50 cents. All
other rides are 25 cents, so a family can have an enjoyable
afternoon or evening for around $10. It’s one of the lesser-
known recreation gems in Pueblo that help make this city
such a nice place to live.”

Residents enjoy year-round access to ice skating at

Pueblo Plaza Ice Arena.

28 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 pu e b lo 29
 Current
AffairsVestas Wind Systems cites workforce, locale
in choosing Pueblo for new plant

30 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 photos by Jeff Adkins
A large wind turbine stands in front of the new Vestas Wind Systems manufacturing plant in Pueblo.
Story By Joe Morris
W
hen you’ve got it all, people notice.
In Pueblo’s case, the stars aligned
brilliantly when work began to lure Vestas
Wind Systems to town. Vestas, the world’s
biggest supplier of wind-powered systems, was looking for
a U.S. location for its new wind-turbine component
manufacturing plant, which would be the world’s largest. The
company wanted a central location, an alternative-energy
savvy city, a quality workforce and an involved, engaged local
and state government presence. In Pueblo, it got all that and
then some, Anthony J. Knopp, vice president of Vestas Towers
Americas Inc., says.
Workforce, Location Key to Vestas Decision
“Pueblo is centralized to our customers, and the
transportation structure here has greatly reduced our costs
to move our products,” Knopp says. “We also found state
and local governments that would strongly sponsor our
technology, and support our industry.”
Since opening in early 2010, the 670,000-square-foot, four-
building Vestas complex has begun to ramp up production,
sending out its first product in May. The company is only
using 300 of its 800 acres, so growth will be easily managed
in the future. Early projections called for a 500-employee
starting point, and the company is well on its way to meeting
pu e b lo 31

 Employees of Vestas manufacturing wind turbines
that goal. In fact, employees and employee training were
other major draws for Vestas when it began researching
Pueblo, Knopp says.
“We were looking for a location where we could find
metalworking employees with a background and similar
skill sets to what we needed,” Knopp says. “There are five
generations of people who have worked in the steel industry
here. We knew that we could take and mold those people into
what we needed, that we could train them into our culture.”
Pueblo Community College
Reworks, Adds Training Programs
Vestas found a capable partner in Pueblo Community
College, which already had a well-established workforce-
training program, and the two entities quickly boosted
those synergies with contract instructors for specialized
jobs, and other custom applications tailored to meet the
new plant’s needs.
“We worked with their consultant, who had put together
a spreadsheet of skill sets that about wallpapered half my
office,” John C. Vukich, dean of PCC’s Economic & Workforce
Development Division, says. “We had about a 60 percent
overlap in terms of things we were already capable of doing,
and we accomplished the remaining areas by bringing in
outside sources or building up our own staff.”
The college only had a few months to put programs into
place before mid-2009, when the training needed to begin,
but was able to meet the goal. That success gives local
economic-development officials a real boost when talking to
companies that may work alongside Vestas, or are in entirely
different fields, Vukich says.
“We can build further from this platform, and it’s huge
that our people, no matter who the employer is, can show
that we have a skilled workforce, and that we can train them
here,” he says. “Now we have this big success to tout, and it’s
a tremendous calling card for our community.”
pu e b lo 33
 Biz Briefs
Businesses – both large and small – that
help define pueblo’s economic climate

Scorecard
Business At
A Glance

$1.1 billion
Annual Retail Sales

$9,708
Retail Sales
Per Capita

$176 million
Annual Hotel
and Food Sales

10,032
Total Firms
Source: U.S. Census
QuickFacts

STOEHR CLEANERS
Biz: Dry cleaning
Buzz: Stoehr Cleaners has several convenient
locations throughout Pueblo, with all stores
open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through
Friday. Saturday hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Services include leather and suede cleaning,
extensive shirt service, alterations and drapery
cleaning. Stoehr will even go to a customer’s
house for in-home cleaning tasks. The company
also does reweaving, wedding gown
preservation and zipper repairs, as well
as water and smoke damage service.
(719) 543-3360

34 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 HEALTH ACCESS PUEBLO
Biz: Affordable health care
Buzz: Health Access Pueblo is an
initiative started by proactive leaders
in Pueblo to create a local nonprofit
organization that will offer
comprehensive, high-quality
coverage to the working uninsured.
www.healthaccesspueblo.org

ALI’I MANAGEMENT
Biz: Office space broker
Buzz: Ali’i Management Inc. provides
on-site management and on-site Shirley Saddoris
maintenance staff, and offers lease Broker
incentives for qualifying tenants.
www.aliimgmt.com
The Realty Post
CIGARS LIMITED
8875 3R Rd.
Biz: Cigars and accessories
Beulah, CO 81023
Buzz: The store on South Union Avenue
features a large array of cigar-related (719) 485-3333 phone/fax
items, including more than 50 well- (719) 250-7519 cell
known brands from around the world. saddoris@socolo.net
Besides fine cigars, Cigars Limited sells www.TheRealtyPost.net
premium tobacco, cutters, lighters and
select pipes. There is also a humidor
on-site set at an ideal 64 degrees
Call me for all your real estate needs!
Fahrenheit and 70 percent humidity,
so that all of the cigars are guaranteed
optimum flavor.
visit our
(719) 542-4300

FLOWER AVIATION
advertisers
Biz: Airport services American Medical Response Hampton Inn & Suites
Buzz: Flower Aviation is based at www.amr.net Pueblo Southgate
Pueblo Municipal Airport and offers a www.hamptoninnpueblo.com
Associates in Women’s Health Care
variety of services to private aircraft www.associnwomenshealthcare.com Northstar Engineering
owners. The company has car and www.northstar-co.com
limousine rental, a conference room, Azteca Apartments
comfortable lounge with fireplace, a Parkview Medical Center
Board of Water Works www.parkviewmc.org
weather computer, flight planning
www.pueblowater.org
room and in-house catering. Flower Praise Assembly
Aviation also offers aircraft services C&C Disposal www.pueblopraise.org
such as deicing, defueling, oxygen and www.ccdisposalco.com Pueblo Community College
nitrogen tanks, and a spacious hangar. www.pueblocc.edu
www.floweraviation.com CK Surgical LLC
www.ck.md Pueblo Convention Center
THE WATER COMPANY Colorado State Fair www.puebloconventioncenter.com
Biz: Clean-tech water treatment www.coloradostatefair.com Pueblo Economic
Buzz: This homegrown enterprise uses Development Corporation
an electrical separation system for Colorado State University www.pedco.org
reducing contaminants and impurities www.colostate-pueblo.edu
from water. The Water Company is St. Mary Corwin Medical Center
Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado www.stmarycorwin.org
mostly known for its wastewater www.gayandlesbianfund.org
treatment system that includes a The Realty Post
process invented by Pueblo native Greater Pueblo Chamber www.therealtypost.net
Brian Elson, who continues to lead www.pueblochamber.org
Wingate by Wyndham
the research operation. Greenlight Tavern www.wingatehotels.com
www.wtrcompany.com

pu e b lo 35
 Chamber Report
members praise greater Pueblo chamber of commerce
Arnold Gallegos says whenever a convention or festival
arrives in Pueblo, the staff at Greater Pueblo Chamber of
Commerce recommends that visitors contact his company.
Those recommendations result in a great deal of business
for him.
Gallegos is president and owner of Shuttle Service of
Southern Colorado, and has been a chamber member
since 1999.
“Yes, the chamber throws me a lot of shuttle business –
in fact, they use me exclusively for charters to and from the
main parking lot at the annual Loaf ‘N Jug Chile & Frijoles
Festival,” Gallegos says. “They have also called me to
transport several legislators to and from Pueblo Memorial
Airport. Being a Pueblo chamber member has many
advantages.”
Bob Nicholson, owner of Southwest Brokerage Corp.
and a chamber member since 1974, thinks the biggest value
of the Pueblo chamber is that they are the marketing arm
of the city.
“Those folks market to prospective residents, companies
and employees who might be considering Pueblo as a new
home,” Nicholson says. “That kind of growth is vital to our
economy, and the chamber is always trumpeting what Pueblo
is all about. Their staff attends trade shows, organizes events
Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce staff
36 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
to bring people to Pueblo, and does promotional pieces such
as Images Pueblo magazine. I will remain a chamber member
as long as I’m in business.”
Elizabeth Gallegos, owner of Euphoria Salon,
sponsors an event each August called Free Kids Cut Day. It
provides free haircuts to any child throughout Pueblo, and
the chamber is a major promoter of the proceedings.
“This event results in free haircuts to about 200 kids,
and the chamber helps pass out fliers and posts the event
on their website, where the information is very easy to
access,” Gallegos says. “One nice story is that in 2009, we
gave haircuts to several children in one family and saved
them $75, and the mother told me that she was then able
to buy new shoes for all her children for school.”
Gallegos, a chamber member for 10 years, adds that
the Pueblo chamber also asks for feedback from all small
business owners in an effort to help make those businesses
more successful.
“The chamber often e-mails helpful information and helps
my business in many other ways,” she says. “I had my best
year ever in 2009 and expect the numbers to be just as strong
in 2010, and I credit the chamber with assisting with my
overall success. I will always be a Pueblo chamber member.”
– Kevin Litwin
Jeff Adkins
 economic profile
Economic Overview
Pueblo has a low cost of doing business – among the lowest in
America – which is a key reason why more than 50 companies
have located here in recent years. Pueblo serves as the southern
boundary for the state’s major business growth corridor, better
known as the Front Range of the Rockies.

income education

$19,827 6,049
Per Capita Income Associates

$43,978 9,069
Average Annual Bachelors
Household Expenditure

Transportation 5,544
Graduate
Pueblo Memorial Airport
31201 Bryan Cir.
Pueblo, CO 81001 economic
taxes resources
(719) 553-2760

3.5% Pueblo Transit

123 Court St.
Pueblo Economic
City Sales and Use Tax Development Corporation
Pueblo, CO 81003
301 N. Main St.
(719) 553-2727
1.0% Pueblo, CO 81002
(719) 544.2000
County Sales Tax WORKFORCE www.pedco.org

2.9% 82% Greater Pueblo

Chamber of Commerce
State Sales Tax White Collar Jobs
302 N. Santa Fe Ave.
Pueblo, CO 81003
7.4% 18% (719) 542-1704
Total Sales Tax Blue Collar Jobs www.pueblochamber.org

“We offer
residential and
commercial
disposal service,
as well as roll-offs,
port-o-lets and
recycling services.”

(719) 647-9100
www.ccdisposalco.com

pu e b lo 37
 Sports & Recreation

photos by Jeff Adkins

38 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 Aquatic Thrills
to Natural Marvels
Pueblo offers an assortment of recreational options

There’s plenty to do in Pueblo, no matter what you’re in the mood for. Those who
prefer to spend their downtime in or around water can visit the scenic Lake Pueblo
State Park, or take a trip down Pueblo’s Whitewater Park. The Historic Arkansas
Riverwalk, Pueblo Zoo and the Nature & Raptor Center of Pueblo offer plenty of
sights to behold. And for some family fun, the National Little Britches Finals Rodeo
never fails to entertain.

Lake Pueblo and Other
Water Recreation
Lake Pueblo State Park, the most visited state
park in Colorado, is an aquatic hot spot, with more
than 60 miles of shoreline and 4,500 acres of
surface water. The lake is ideal for water sports of
all kinds, including jet skiing, tubing, wake boarding,
boating and parasailing. North Shore Marina offers
608 boat slips, the Water Street Cafe and a Ship’s
Store that sells snacks, toys, sports equipment,
boating parts and water rafts. South Shore Marina
offers 400 boat slips, a covered patio area with
propane barbecue grills and a general store for
groceries, snacks and boating equipment. River
surfers are a new crop of water enthusiasts making
waves in the area. Thanks to Pueblo’s Whitewater
Park, the area is quickly becoming Colorado’s main
surfing destination. The venue provides great waves
and eddies in one central location.
Historic Arkansas Riverwalk
The Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo is another
popular attraction in Colorado, although it offers much
more than mere waterworks. The 32-acre downtown
Riverwalk includes a scenic walkway, outdoor amphi­
theater, nature center, small shops, cafes, artworks
and the just recently opened Veterans Bridge. Residents
commonly visit the Riverwalk to exercise on its various
pathways. Pontoon boat rides are the most favored
activity of tourists. The Riverwalk is always abuzz with
community involvement. There is outdoor enter­
tainment every Friday and Saturday night from May
to September. An outdoor farmers market also provides
food and entertainment throughout the summer.
Pueblo Zoo and The Nature
& Raptor Center of pueblo
The Pueblo Zoo, located in City Park, treats
guests to a scenic stroll through the habitats of more
than 420 animals of 140 species. Visitors can get up
close and personal with farm animals at the Pioneer
Ranch, or see a shipwreck journey to habitats around
the world at the Islands of Life exhibit. The Nature &
Raptor Center of Pueblo, located in Rock Canyon,
also provides visitors with a wealth of wildlife viewing.
A variety of animals and plants are housed within the
center’s blend of natural habitats, allowing guests to
observe, explore and enjoy nature.
National Little Britches
Rodeo Association
Family, fellowship and fair play form the creed
of the National Little Britches Rodeo Association.
NLBRA participants range in age from 5 to 18, allowing
entire families to travel and experience the rodeo
rush together. The annual National Finals Rodeo is
held at Pueblo’s Colorado Sate Fairgrounds, where
about 900 contestants compete to receive more
than $60,000 total in scholarship prizes. NLBRA is
not only a source of entertainment in Pueblo, but is
also an important tool for community enrichment.
 – Julianna Edmonds

pu e b lo 39
 Health & Wellness

Providing Advanced Life Support

Ambulance Service to Pueblo County Since 1994 Helping women
through the many
transitions of life

1120 Minnequa Ave. 1600 N. Grand Ave.

Pueblo, CO Toll-Free: Ste. 260, Pueblo, CO

(719) 564-0660 (888) 384-5238 (719) 543-6755

New Service:
Mobile Health Care for
Private Business

911 Patient Care and Transport

Back: Joseph Castelli, M.D., James W. Meeuwsen, M.D.,
Interfacility Patient Transfers Stephen J. Wassinger, M.D. Front: Kristin Kruse, M.D.,
Megan Lenhart, M.D., Sara M. Tonsing, M.D.
CPR Classes • Community Awareness Programs
Special Event Standby Services • Wheel Chair Transportation • Annual Exams • Pregnancy –
Low & High Risk
Critical Care Transport • Bariatric Patient Transport • Endometriosis
• Same-Day Surgery
• Family Planning
Including: Hysterectomy
(719) 545-1226 office • Infertility & Incontinence
(719) 545-9631 dispatch • Ultrasounds • Menopause
www.amr.net www.associnwomenshealthcare.com

40 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 Staff Photo
Health Care Options Growing
Medical and emergency care centers serve Pueblo
Meeting the health-care needs of the Pueblo community, two medical centers and
one emergency care facility provide quality health care to the area.
Parkview
Medical Center
Founded in 1923, Parkview
Medical Center serves Pueblo
County and 14 surrounding
counties, or approximately
350,000 individuals. The
nonprofit medical center, part
of Parkview Health Systems Inc.,
is locally owned and governed.
Parkview Medical Center offers
350 general acute-care beds, as
well as 20 beds for those in need
of long-term care. The region’s
first certified Stroke Center is
available to patients, in addition
to a Level II Trauma Center. The
medical center also provides
cardiac, women’s, emergency
and neurological services, with
behavioral health programs also
available. Nutritional services,
including diet instruction,
education, planning and analysis
are offered to patients and visitors
alike. Spiritual care is also
provided, assisting families with
end-of-life issues, sacraments
and offering counseling plus
other services.
Parkview-
Pueblo West
Parkview-Pueblo West is a
stand-alone emergency
department open 24 hours a day,
seven days a week. Patients can
expect to receive the same level
of care they enjoy at Parkview
Medical Center, with board-
certified emergency care
physicians and nurses who
specialize in emergency care
on staff. Patients will also have
access to the same resources
that are available in the medical
center’s emergency department,
including laboratory services,
radiology and CT scan, and
respiratory therapy. The
18,000-square-foot facility, built
Parkview Medical Center
on a 35-acre parcel, may expand
in the future as needed.
St. Mary-Corwin
Medical Center
Converted from a two-story
boarding house into a hospital
in 1882, St. Mary-Corwin Medical
Center is a 408-bed facility
serving the city and county
of Pueblo, as well as southern
Colorado and the neighboring
states of New Mexico, Kansas
and Oklahoma. St. Mary-Corwin
Medical Center provides a Flight
for Life helicopter base, a
comprehensive cancer center,
a stroke center and a variety
of other resources. The facility
recently underwent a $59 million
expansion, creating a new
emergency department, an
innovative intensive care unit,
enhanced diagnostic services
and 112 private patient rooms.
 – Jessica Walker
pu e b lo 41
 Arts & Culture

Rosemount Museum

Antony Boshier

42 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 Getting Cultured
Pueblo offers a variety of cultural activities
and experiences to residents and visitors alike
Rich in arts, culture and history, Pueblo offers a variety of museums,
festivals, events, performing arts centers, historic sites and more.
Pueblo Museums
and Historic Sites
To see where Pueblo began,
visit the El Pueblo History Museum,
which showcases the city’s history
and the region’s various cultural and
ethnic groups. Its “Song of Pueblo,”
an oratorio by Daniel Valdez, is a
live, multi-media concert that relates
the city’s story through narration,
music, and images.
Featuring art created by local,
regional and nationally recognized
artists, the Sangre de Cristo Arts
& Conference Center includes a
three-building complex with six
galleries, as well as the Buell
Children’s Museum.
The Steelworks Museum offers
a variety of exhibits related to
the Colorado Fuel and Iron Corp.
Museum guests can enjoy artifacts,
photos, activities and educational
programs.
The Rosemount Museum is
a 37-room mansion, built in 1893
and formerly home to the John A.
and Margaret Thatcher family. The
mansion contains almost all of its
original furnishings, accessories
and paintings.
The Pueblo Medal of Honor
Memorial, located outside the
Convention Center on Heroes
Plaza, is home to the statues of
Pueblo’s heroes, as well as the
names of more than 3,400
Medal of Honor recipients.
Preserving, restoring and
displaying military aircraft and
artifacts, the Pueblo Weisbrod
Aircraft Museum offers more than
100 display cases and exhibits.
Pueblo Festivals
and Events
The Pueblo Chile & Frijoles
Festival is held in downtown
Pueblo and features music, fun
and food. Festival-goers can also
enjoy the works of many local
artisans and craftsmen.
A western-themed event, the
Wild Wild West Festival offers
family-friendly activities, including
concerts and cook-offs. While the
festival is held throughout Pueblo,
the majority of events take place
on the Riverwalk and the Union
Avenue Historic District.
The Colorado State Fair features
carnival rides, exhibit halls, contests
and concerts. Attendees can also
enjoy livestock, horse and small
animal shows, as well as parades
and a rodeo.
The National Street Rod
Association’s Rocky Street Rod
Nationals, which is the region’s
largest street rod automotive
event, is held at the Colorado
State Fairgrounds each year.
Performing Arts
The non-profit organization
Pueblo Performing Arts Guild
supports the performing arts all
around the city by collaborating
for marketing, performances, and
education opportunities, raising
awareness in the community, and
promoting and providing
educational opportunities
in the performing arts.
A nonprofit corporation, the
Steel City Theatre Company pro­
vides modern, quality productions
for public enjoyment.
The Damon Runyon Repertory
Theater Company offers live theater,
children’s theater, adult and children’s
workshops, dinner theater, murder
mysteries and an art gallery.
Historic Memorial Hall seats more
than 1,600 for live plays, concerts
and more. The hall is also where
President Woodrow Wilson made
his last speech in 1919. Pueblo
voters recently approved funding
for the renovation and expansion
of the hall, with an expected
completion date of fall 2012.
Historic Arkansas
River Project
The Historic Arkansas River
Project serves as a heritage
tourism destination. The area,
located in the heart of downtown
Pueblo, includes sculptures,
statutes, ceramic murals, and
stone and bronze fountains.
Bishop Castle
While it may have started as a
family construction project, Bishop
Castle is now a southern Colorado
tourist attraction, open from dawn
until dusk seven days a week. The
castle is named for Jim Bishop, the
builder of the structure.
 – Jessica Walker
pu e b lo 43
 Local Flavor

Serves Him Right

Chamber president dishes on sloppers

Sunset Inn’s version of a slopper

photos by Jeff Adkins

A slopper is a slopper, right? Not according to 23 restaurants that are members
of the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce. Rod Slyhoff, president of the Pueblo
chamber, says all 23 restaurants have a different version of the slopper, and for one
main reason. “It’s the green chili,” Slyhoff says. “Everyone’s green chili recipe is
different in their taste and the way they make their chili. Almost all of the recipes are
handed down from generation to generation and perfected along the way, and highly
guarded. And all 23 restaurants are independently owned and operated – there are
no chain restaurants. That’s why there are so many different and unique recipes.”

Thin or Thick Chili

Do You Agree?
According to the Travel Channel’s
show Food Wars, Sunset Inn serves
the best slopper in Pueblo. See what
you think by trying all the varieties
of sloppers the city has to offer.
Contact the Greater Pueblo Chamber
of Commerce for a list of all Pueblo
restaurants that proudly serve this
sloppy specialty.
(719) 542-1704 or (800) 233-3446
www.pueblochamber.org
A slopper is a hamburger patty weighing one quarter to three quarters
of a pound, with a bun on the bottom, and usually served open faced in
a bowl. It is then covered with red or green chili, although most people
in Pueblo prefer green. The slopper can also have cheese and onions
and other various toppings, but it’s the green chili that gives it the
distinct flavor.
“The chili can also range from being really thin to really thick,” Slyhoff
says. “Some restaurants use potatoes to thicken it, while others use a
roux of corn starch and milk to thicken it, and a couple places even use
refried beans.”
In addition, the green chili can be served mild, medium or hot.
“For example, if I have a slopper at Jorge’s Sombrero or at Papa Jose’s
Union Cafe, I ask for half medium and half hot chili,” he says. “It’s just a
perfect mixture for me.”

44 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 Sloppers With Mad Hatter Bar & Grille
Personality
The 23 restaurants also have
distinct names for their respective
sloppers.
“Romero’s Café serves a Green
Giant Slopper, and Mad Hatter Bar
& Grille sells a Mad Slopper,” he
says. “There are some pretty
funny names, too, such as the
Sloppy Cocker at Cock & Bull
Tavern, and the Thunder Humper
at Gold Dust Saloon.”

Future Slopper Days

Slyhoff adds that the chamber
plays up the slopper whenever
it can.
“The chamber is planning
to organize a Slopper Days
Celebration that will tentatively
begin in 2011 and will become an
annual event,” he says. “And for
now, residents or visitors to
Pueblo can go online at our
www.pueblochamber.org website
or visit our chamber office on
North Santa Fe Avenue to get
a brochure of all the restaurants
that serve the slopper. That way,
a person could try different
sloppers all over the city. By
the way, I’m working on having
a slopper at all 23 locations. So
far, they’re all excellent.”
 – Kevin Litwin

What’s Online 
Get a load of these sloppers! See
varieties of the local delicacy up close
in a video hosted by Rod Slyhoff,
chamber president, at imagespueblo.com. Papa Jose’s Union Cafe

pu e b lo 45
 Education

Learning in Pueblo
Students enjoy educational opportunities in their community

Jeff Adkins
Pueblo is rich with educational opportunities, boasting two exceptional
public school districts as well as two first-rate higher education institutions.

Pueblo School District 70

Learn More
pueblo school
district 70
www.district70.org
pueblo city schools
www.pueblo60.k12.co.us
colorado state
university-pueblo
www.colostate-pueblo.edu
pueblo community college
www.pueblocc.edu
As the largest geographical school district in Colorado, Pueblo School
District 70 educates more than 8,000 students from Pueblo County.
The district includes four high schools, six middle schools and 12
elementary schools, as well as two charter schools, an alternative
middle school, an alternative high school and seven preschools.
Schools in this district work to integrate technology into class
instruction in order to enhance each student’s educational experience.
Pueblo City Schools
More than 18,000 students are enrolled in Pueblo City Schools,
formerly known as District 60.
This district includes four high schools, five middle schools and
19 elementary schools, in addition to two K-8 schools and three
international magnet schools.
Pueblo City Schools’ high school students follow block schedules,
in which the students attend fewer classes each day for longer periods
of time.

46 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m
 Colorado State
University-Pueblo
With approximately 5,000
students enrolled, Colorado State
University-Pueblo sits on more
than 275 acres in the Northeastern
portion of the city of Pueblo.
Students enjoy a small
professor-to-student ratio, with an
average of 25 individuals in each
class, and can choose from 28
undergraduate programs in the
College of Science and
Mathematics, the Hasan School
of Business, the College of
Humanities and Social Sciences,
and the College of Education,
Engineering and Professional
Studies. More than 70 clubs and
organizations are available to
students as well.
On the athletic field, with 16
varsity intercollegiate sports, the
university competes at the NCAA
Staff Photo
Colorado State University
Division II level and is a member
of the Rocky Mountain Athletic
Conference.
Pueblo Community
College
Pueblo Community College is
a two-year community college
that offers associate’s degrees,
certificates in a variety of
programs, and is a state leader
in health-care education.
Students can study Arts &
Sciences, Business & Technology
and Health Professions, with 60
completed semester hours required
to obtain an associate’s degree
and a minimum of two courses
necessary to earn a certificate.
In addition to its main campus,
Pueblo Community College has
campus’ located in Canon City,
Durango and Cortez Colorado.
 – Jessica Walker
New Ways
to Succeed
charter schools
offer educational
alternatives
T he public and private
schools in Pueblo are
second to none in terms of
achievement. There’s also a
third network operating within
and alongside them; charter
schools that are giving students
another option for a first-class
educational experience.
The Cesar Chavez Network,
which includes Dolores Huerta
Preparatory High School and
Cesar Chavez Academy Public
Charter School, as well as The
Connect Charter School in
District 70, are all examples of
how public-private partnerships
thrive here.
The Chavez Academy has
received the James Irwin Award
and the El Pomar Foundation’s
award for excellence in education,
and provides full educational
services for grades K-8. It also
has an after-school program,
cultural and community studies,
extended day and extended
year learning, tutoring for all
students and extracurricular
activities ranging from track
and field to choir and mariachi.
Dolores Huerta Preparatory
High is a tuition-free public
charter school that also boasts
multiple awards and
achievements, and is justifiably
well known for its successful
early-college program, as well
as participate in and even
complete certification programs.
For the middle grades, The
Connect Charter School in
District 70 consistently makes
multiple “best of” lists. It has a
string of John Irwin awards, as
well as being named a Colorado
sustaining school several times.
 – Joe Morris
pu e b lo 47
 community profile
Community Overview
The air in Pueblo is so clean that residents often can see purple
mountains’ majesties from 70 miles away. That is one of the
numerous advantages of living in this city with clean water, a
nationally ranked school system and reasonable home prices.

time zone Age less than 25

35,105
Mountain Age 25-34, 14,586
Age 35-44, 12,222
size in square miles Age 45-54, 13,422
Age 55-64, 11,134
2,398 Age 65-74, 7,800
Pueblo County Age greater than 75
Climate Overview 9,906
numbers to know White, 82,707
The Pueblo County growing
season is 180 days, but the Black, 1,471
Division of Motor Vehicles
county’s elevation range Hispanic, 48,711
(719) 543-5164
(4,400 to 12,000 feet) can Other, 14,523
(719) 543-5165
influence what can be grown
in different areas. Crops such Recyling
as alfalfa, corn, melons, Environmental Health cost of living
onions, peppers and tomatoes (719) 583-4323
thrive throughout Pueblo
County, but all require Voter Registration $37,246
Colorado Dept. of Revenue Median Household Income
supplemental water.
(719) 543-5164
January Low Temperature
14 F
January High Temperature Household $94,500
Median Home Sale Price
48 F information
July Low Temperature
52 F
July High Temperature
Total Population, 104,175
Males, 49,652
$668
Estimated Gross Rent for a
91 F Females, 54,523 Two-Bedroom Apartment

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48 i m ag e s p u e b l o . c o m