Brief by Marcia Darnell
San Luis Valley – September 2002 – Colorado Central Magazin
Alamosa County gets legal help
Mountain States Legal Foundation is taking depositions on behalf of Alamosa County in its battle against the feds.
The State Department has accused the county of bias in its practice of electing county commissioners at large, saying that discriminates against Hispanic candidates and voters.
The legal battle could last years.
Choo-Choo-Who?
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is running again, finally, but its future is in doubt. The train was grounded by national forest officials during the height of the wildfire season, but began running again July 30.
Derailment may be ahead for the historic narrow-gauge train, however, since the Rio Grande Railway Preservation Corp., its operators since 1999, will quit at the end of the season. The C&TSRR Commission is seeking a new operator.
Copless Town
Saguache is without a town officer since the contract expired between the town and Saguache County. Saguache will rely on the sheriff’s office for protection for the time being.
Suds Spill
A semi loaded with beer smashed into a rock wall on U.S. 160, appropriately near a resort named Fun Valley. Cleanup took almost a day, not counting refills.
Fire Money
The National Park Service awarded $12,000 to the volunteer fire departments of Baca Grande (near Crestone) and Mosca-Hooper. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve applied for the grant through the Rural Fire Assistance Program. The bucks are to improve fire protection for the area.
Heat Money
South Fork is applying for a geothermal energy grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Previous exploration for oil and gas showed geothermal sources in the area. If successful, the town will partner with an energy company to develop a plant.
Drought Deepens
Voluntary water restrictions went into effect in Alamosa.
Restrictions in La Jara and Monte Vista are mandatory and carry fines for violators. Saguache Creek is dry.
However, Mill Creek in South Fork overflowed after a rainstorm last month.
Gigi Dennis, former state Senator and now with the U.S.
Dept. of Agriculture’s Office of Rural Development, has come through for dry residents. She arranged for $100,000 for elderly and low-income people to replace dry wells.
Reverse One-Way
Residents on El Rio Drive in Alamosa are less than thrilled to have their street converted from one-way to two-way. In fact, they packed a city council meeting, demanding that it be changed back.
Brief Briefs
— A car once owned by Liberace won a prize in the Stampede parade in Monte Vista. The yellow 1981 Cadillac Eldorado convertible is now owned by Ray Skeff.
— A group of travel writers from other areas visited the Valley in July. The event was sponsored by Action 22 and will hopefully translate into tourism dollars.
— The U.S. House passed a bill appropriating $12 million to purchase the Baca Ranch. The property, now owned by the Nature Conservancy, will become part of a future Great Sand Dunes National Park.
— The only grocery store in Saguache went out of business. Partial blame is laid at the feet of Wal-Marts in Alamosa and Salida.
