ALAMOSA — Henry Corral, 44, appeared in court this week in connection to his alleged involvement in the murder of two men – Aurelio Piña, 61, and his son Gabriel Piña, 37 - and attempted murder of a third – Manuel Flores, 43 - at the Sunset Inn in Alamosa during the early morning hours of June 23, 2024.  

ALAMOSA – A bi-partisan coalition of lawmakers along with former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar held a press conference on the first floor of the state Capitol Friday morning, Jan. 24, where they expressed their strong support for a bill that empowers local government by strengthening laws governing fence construction in the San Luis Valley.  

In recognition of employees who go above and beyond their expected job duties, Alamosa County presented its 2025 Employee of the Quarter winners at the January 22 meeting of the Alamosa County …

CREEDE – After receiving a grant through the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), the Creede School District is working with the University of Denver Architecture Program to consider a workforce housing project on property west of the school.  

CENTER – Janet Sanchez, director of the Center Consolidated School District's Preschool, was all smiles and excited to talk about the award that they received from Environmental Health Program Manager and Inspector Gary Bruder. 

The temperature on the Valley floor on the morning of Jan. 21 was -14 Fahrenheit, with a slightly warmer temperature of -8 at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve visitor center.

WASHINGTON D.C. — Last week, the Bureau of Reclamation announced an award of $24.9 million for drought resiliency activities in the Upper Rio Grande Basin.   

ALAMOSA — On Jan. 21, David Tandberg, president of Adams State University, delivered his annual 'State of the University,” address. This address is a significant event in the university's calendar, providing an opportunity for the president to reflect on the past year and outline the institution's future direction.

DEL NORTE — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) biologists will soon start a project to fit bighorn sheep with satellite GPS collars in the La Garita area.  

ALAMOSA — State Representative Matt Martinez (D-62) and state Senator Cleave Simpson (R-6) introduced legislation last week in support of a group of Costilla County residents who are engaged in battle with a billionaire landowner over an issue common in Western history: the construction of a fence.  

ALAMOSA — During his time in office, State Representative Matt Martinez (D-62) has consistently expressed his support for farmers and ranchers. That support was clearly demonstrated by passage of a bill related to agriculture and pertaining to stewardship of the land.  

Over New Year’s weekend, San Luis Valley Valley 4-H members traveled to Arizona to participate in the prestigious Arizona National Livestock Judging Contest. The event challenged participants to evaluate eight classes of livestock: Market Steers, Breeding Heifers, Market Lambs, Breeding Ewes, Market Goats, Wether Dam Does, Breeding Gilts, and Market Hogs. 

RIO GRANDE COUNTY – Rio Grande County commissioners opened their first meeting of 2025 on Jan. 8 and heard from people unhappy with the county employing people from out of the state – specifically the county attorney and county public health director. 

ALAMOSA – On Jan. 14, the Alamosa Police Department arrested two people on drug charges after serving a search warrant for Saint Benedict Campsite, 2400 Old Sanford Rd., Space No. 60, in regards to illegal drug activity. 

ALAMOSA – The Larry Holder Exercise and Cancer Survivorship program offers cancer survivors in the San Luis Valley the opportunity to participate in an individualized exercise program conducted in a group setting. All cancer survivors ages 18 years or older in the San Luis Valley are welcome regardless of gender, type, or stage of cancer. This spring’s program begins the week of Jan. 27, with appointments for individual fitness testing. 

ALAMOSA – The Owsley family name is nearly synonymous with Adams State, as the two histories intertwined from the 1930s through today. “Adams State means a lot to my family. We have four generations who have graduated from the University. It has helped us all pursue our career goals.” 

SAN LUIS VALLEY — History Colorado is hosting an open houseto discuss the Colorado Heritage for All initiative in the San Luis Valley at a community-led nomination meeting from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 14 to be held at the Monte Vista Church Project, 256 S. Broadway St., Monte Vista. 

ALAMOSA — The San Luis Valley Regional Airport had a remarkable year in terms of air passenger numbers, marking a significant growth trajectory. According to Will Hickman, the Airport Manager, in 2024, the airport had 12,077 enplanements, up from 10,904 in 2023 and 8,851 in 2022. 

ALAMOSA — During the six years he has been in office, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has made multiple trips to the San Luis Valley, some in connection with his assigned oversight of a former district attorney who ultimately resigned from office and others connected to current litigation he was spearheading that was of special relevance to Valley concerns, such as suing opioid manufacturers and stopping the merger of Kroger and Albertson’s. But, while in the Valley, Weiser’s also addressed other issues that may not yet have their roots in the courtroom but have clear impact on Coloradans’ quality of life. 

CENTER – Town Manger Cole Webb recently spoke about saying goodbye to 2024 and moving into 2025 and what’s ahead for the town of Center.