by Marcia Darnell
Hot Dog Crisis
Cities face a lot of difficult issues: water, crime, finance, natural disasters. Alamosa, however, faces a struggle over a hot dog cart. Linda Pardue wants to sell her Hebrew National dogs in parks and at public events. The city council is unsure how to handle the request, and has asked for more time to research this complex dilemma.
Yell Fire!
The Medano fire at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve still hasn’t fizzled out, more than a month after lightning ignited dead trees and undergrowth. The blaze grew to about 6,000 acres and crossed into the San Isabel National Forest. Estimated costs to fight the fire topped $4 million. It has died down, though.
“It’s not super active,” said Parks spokesperson Carol Sperling. “It’s deep in a wilderness area, so we’re not actively putting it out, though we’re watching it carefully.”
She said the area hadn’t seen fire since the late 1800s, so the benefits – destroying dead trees and undergrowth – make it a “good” fire. For now, Park personnel are waiting for nature, via rain or snow, to put out the last of it.
A small fire shut down the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad near Chama, N.M., as a trestle blazed. The fire of undetermined origin shut down train service. Trains are now running halfway from each end of the line and doing a turn-around.
And fire is a continuing danger, since this summer is proving rather dry. State Division of Water Resources engineer Craig Cotten warned in June that the Valley needs rain throughout the growing season. The Rio Grande Basin had a higher than normal snowpack last winter, but a warm spring led to a rapid snowmelt and runoff.
Law No-Forcement
San Luis is copless. The broke town in Costilla County laid off all its workers except the town clerk. The 700-plus residents of Colorado’s oldest town will be protected by the county sheriff’s office.
Meanwhile, Conejos and Rio Grande counties did a happy dance as they received large PILT payments from the federal government.
Fight Club
And there’s another battle in the war between the Alamosa County Commissioners and the board of the SLV Museum. The museum board has demanded more money from the lodging tax collections, and the commissioners say it’s hard times, revenues are down, and everyone has to live on less.
Brief Briefs
• The Orient Land Trust completed a conservation easement of 1,270 acres near Villa Grove.
• The Costilla County Health and Human Services Complex opened after seven years of planning and building. The new complex in San Luis boasts a clinic, the public health office, social services and the ambulance service.
• The dusty old depot that housed the Alamosa Chamber of Commerce is getting a new home. Monte Vista will be the site of the historic structure. The depot is being cut into pieces, which will be moved separately.
• GOCO grants in the Valley include $194,000 to Manassa for kids’ playgrounds, $26,000 to Del Norte for a walking trail and $240,000 to the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust for a conservation easement of 167 acres bordering the Rio Grande.
• Former Alamosa city manager Mike Hackett was memorialized in a ceremony at the Alamosa Ranch. Hackett died last year in Arcata, Calif.
• Marvin Casias, Antonito, is the new general manager for the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad Commission.
• Reconstruction is under way at Splashland hot springs pool in Alamosa. The new owners of the town landmark plan to make it a “modern” facility.
• Rio Grande County Judge Michael Trujillo announced he will retire in January.
• Mary Arango, 68, was killed in a one-car accident at the Great Sand Dunes. Her car, parked on a slope, began rolling downhill. She tried to get into it and stop it, but the car rolled over her.
• Blanche Benson of Del Norte celebrated her 105th birthday.
