Briefs from the San Luis Valley

Brief by Marcia Darnell

San Luis Valley - January 2005 - Colorado Central Magazine - No. 131 - Page 5

Copyright © 2005 by Marcia Darnell and Central Colorado Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

More Vast than Vail?

The Battle of Wolf Creek Village has commenced. The proposed development includes over 2,000 condos; over 200,000 feet of commercial space; and over 4,000 covered parking spaces. Owners B.J. "Red" McCombs and Bob Honts want to build what could be Colorado's largest resort village on Wolf Creek Pass, near Wolf Creek Ski Area, whose owners oppose the project.

The development won approval from Mineral County, which is now being sued by Colorado Wild, an environmental group based in Durango. The Pitcher family, which owns the ski area, is suing the developers, and the U.S. Forest Service has extended the deadline for public comments on the proposal for access.

In addition to Forest Service approval, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service get a say in the deal, as does the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Until Jan. 5, public comments are being taken at the Forest Service office in Del Norte.

Done Again

It's not finished even when they say it's finished. The feds, who pronounced the Great Sand Dunes National Park a healthy birth, have announced twins. The Baca National Wildlife Refuge is alive and well, thanks to a $3.4 million appropriation by the legislature.

Brief Briefs

• The Alamosa City Council approved the construction of a biodiesel plant; a lawsuit opposing the plant was filed shortly thereafter. A neighborhood coalition has formed to oppose the project.
• The San Luis Valley Resource Conservation and Development Council was recognized for its work by the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts.
• Retired Alamosa County Judge Jean Paul Jones died Nov. 30. He served on the bench for 28 years.
• Center will build a cellular tower to improve phone service.
• Alamosa will have to put a warning label on its water, says the EPA. The high arsenic level in the city's water is targeted for treatment, but in the meantime, let the drinker beware.
• Carol Sessums of Sangre de Cristo High School was named business teacher of the year by the Colorado Business Educators.
• Rio Grande County got $500,000 to build a new jail, but is trying to delay the project, as there's no money to run a new jail.
• Alamosa County Clerk Holly Lowder was named to a state panel to review election processes.
• La Gente, a human-services agency, opened a free clothing store for people in need.
• Alamosa is asking CDOT for a stoplight at Main and Victoria.
• SLV Habitat for Humanity dedicated its ninth house in Alamosa. The Carrillo family moved in in November.
• The Head Start School in Center won the 2004 Colorado Design Award from the American Institute of Architects.
• Three Valley non-profits received El Pomar grants. Valley-Wide Health Systems, Blue Peaks Development Services, and the Creede Arts Council each got $5,000.
• Ernest Moeller, 89, was named 2004 Conservationist of the Year by the state chapter of the Soil and Water Society.
• Alamosa got $455,210 from the Department of Local Affairs for a new fleet maintenance shop. Construction will start in the spring.
• Monte Vista hosted the annual Southern Rocky Mountain Forage and Livestock Conference. About 500 people attended the event, boosting the local economy noticeably.
• The San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District will raise its rates dramatically, from $80 to $150 annually for a domestic well.
• Alamosa high School's state rating dropped from "average" in 2002-03 to "low" in 2003-04. Ortega Middle School maintained its "low" rating for a second year. School officials are looking at options for improvement.