By Richard Flamm
Alamosa Set to Build New Airport Terminal
Due to the dilapidated condition of the current building, Alamosa County Assistant Administrator Carol Osborn stated the new terminal is a necessity. The Valley Courier reports the new terminal will likely attract a new air service provider as well. The estimated cost of the terminal is $3.5 million.
Valley’s Unemployment Rate Above Average
The Valley’s unemployment rate remains worse than the national and state average, which ranges from 6.2 and 6.6 percent. The Valley Courier reported Alamosa’s unemployment rate at 7 percent and average hourly wage at $14.85.
County Jail Numbers Down
Darius Allen, Alamosa county commissioner, was pleased to comment on the lowered number of inmates, saying, “It is nice to see.” The Courier noted 72 inmates instead of the more usual 100.
Answer for High Cancer Rates in the Valley
Unusually high cancer rates in the Valley have a possible culprit: a genetic mutation that creates an increased susceptibility. The Denver Post reports that the mutation is found in large numbers in people with Jewish heritage, and that hospitals are taking patients at further stages of the disease.
The late and infrequent diagnoses are directly connected to the poverty of the Valley, as residents are less likely to get screened early on. Jennifer Goss, valedictorian nursing student at Adams State, postulates that because genes are either dominant or recessive, men in the San Luis Valley likely possess the recessive gene of the genetic mutation, while women possess the dominant gene of the genetic mutation, due to the prevalence of cancer in females. The Smithsonian notes, “It was well known that during the late Middle Ages, the Jews of Spain were forced to convert to Catholicism.” This history is likely responsible for the susceptibility in the Valley.
Saguache County Set to Loosen Marijuana Laws
Saguache County is expected to remove the ban on marijuana in March. The new freedom will allow citizens to approach issues of medical marijuana and use with increasing ease. Residents have been sharing concerns on how land laws will adapt to the anticipated new drug-generated business.
Monte Vista Pursues New Theater Building
City Manager Mark Garcia is in talks to procure funding for a theater building in Monte Vista. The Courier reports that the proposal was approved at the Feb. 6 city council meeting. Funding continues to be gathered as patrons wait patiently on the necessary processes to go through and be approved.
Richard Flamm is a student at Adams State University, and when he isn’t writing, he is musing on why he is getting a degree in English.
