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Monte Vista’s Annual Crane Festival will be flying in March 7-9

The 42nd Annual Monte Vista Crane Festival will take place from March 7-9. Crowds of people and thousands of Sandhill Cranes will be at the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge. 
MONTE VISTA – The 42nd Annual Monte Vista Crane Festival is less than a month away. This year, the festival will take place from March 7-9. Thousands of people attend this unique event.  
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Veterans and dependents appreciate ‘Military Friendly’ ASU

ALAMOSA – Adams State students Ivy Evanson and Edwin Kroschel, along with alumnus Andrew Leonard, can attest to the accuracy of the university’s recent designation as a Military Friendly® School, ranked “Gold” in the category of Small Public Institutions. They are among 72 current students who are military veterans, active duty, or dependents. 

Medano Creek is flowing

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE — Medano Creek in the national park will be a favorite local destination for many San Luis Valley residents and tourists this summer.  On a recent visit, the creek was running about 20 feet wide and very shallow, at only an inch or two.
Kody Smith was appointed as Monte Vista’s new Code Enforcement Officer during a city council meeting on May 1. 

MVPD promotes two officers, honors citizen

MONTE VISTA – Monte Vista Police Department Interim Chief Tyler Harford promoted Robert Pino and Anthony Chacon to sergeant during Thursday’s, May 1, city council meeting

Rio Grande Hospital honored for overall performance by Colorado Rural Health Center

DEL NORTE – Rio Grande Hospital recently announced the facility has been recognized by the Colorado Rural Health Center as a Top 5 Rural Hospital for Overall Performance. Presented during the Colorado Rural Healthcare Conference, this new award honors performance excellence among the state’s Critical Access Hospitals.  

RGC Commissioners vote no on aquatic center

RIO GRANDE COUNTY - The Rio Grande County Board of Commissioners again unanimously denied, 3-0, a request to put a $24 million aquatics center before voters on a special election ballot in the fall.  

Two Sangre de Cristo seniors are Daniels Scholars

ALAMOSA — Dave Crews, principal of Sangre de Cristo High School, recently announced that, out of the 18 graduating seniors that make up the class of 2025, two students – Haylee Freel and Jamie Damewood - were awarded the Daniels Scholarship.  
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Community
Longtime music educator Linwood Warwick will be honored with a tribute concert by the SLV Community Band on May 22. Warwick passed away in January 2025. 
SLV Community Band concert in tribute to Linwood Warwick
ALAMOSA — The SLV Community Band will perform a spring concert in tribute to long-time music educator, Linwood Warwick, on Thursday, May 22 at 7 p.m., in ASU’s Leon Memorial Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.   
Spring Suite, one of four boutique rooms in the Aspen Inn, a VRBO located in Creede. 
Aspen Inn located in the heart of Creede
ALAMOSA — Creede, described as “the last silver boom town in Colorado”, is well known for its spectacular surroundings, rich history and vibrant Main Street that echoes days gone by. Nestled among the authentic storefronts is a green door, flanked on either side by flowerpots and a sign overhead that reads Aspen Inn. 
Semillas de la Tierra performs Saturday, May 17, on the Adams State campus. 
Adams State Semillas de la Tierra performs May 17
ALAMOSA – Adams State University Semillas de la Tierra will celebrate their ninth annual Baile de Primavera, or Spring Dance, at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 17, in Richardson Hall. The performance will feature two talented, local guest artists, Freddie Jaquez and Christian Santistevan. 
Sgt. Glen Martinez 
Sgt. Martinez annual 5K Run/Walk and Veterans Golf Tournament is May 24
The 14th annual Sgt. Glen Martinez 5K Run/Walk and Veterans Golf Tournament will be held at the Monte Vista Golf Course on Saturday, May 24. All proceeds benefit the Sgt. Glen E. Martinez Memorial Scholarship Fund, in which $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to a senior boy and senior girl of Monte Vista High School. 
The great blue heron is one of the many birds to be seen along the Rio Grande and elsewhere in the Valley and in the several national wildlife refuges in the region. 
Birding expedition on May 17
ALAMOSA — On Saturday, May 17, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, join the Friends of the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuges for a birding expedition along the Rio Grande. 
Sports
Alamosa High School’s Lily Heersink qualified for the Class 3A in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, as well as two relay teams.
2025 SLV state track qualifiers
ALAMOSA – The Colorado High School Activities Association released its qualifiers for the 2025 state track and field meet which will take place Thursday-Saturday at Jefferson County Stadium in …
Monte Vista High School’s Jakoby Ross (right) slides into third base before Sanford’s Tyson Miller can make the tag in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday in Sanford. The Pirates swept the Mustangs by scores of 15-0 and 15-6 to win the Southern Peaks League championship.
Pirates win SPL baseball championship
SANFORD – The Monte Vista High School baseball team secured the Southern Peaks League title with a sweep of Sanford Saturday at the Mustangs’ field. The scores were 15-0 and 15-6. …
Del Norte High School’s Damon Ledford-Vigil clears the bar at 13-6 at the Monte Vista Last Chance Meet Friday at Harvey Sullivan Field.
Del Norte boys, Monte Vista girls win Monte Vista Last Chance Meet
MONTE VISTA – Several track and field athletes from the San Luis Valley converged on Harvey Sullivan Field on Friday for the Monte Vista Last Chance Meet. Alamosa The Alamosa boys …
Opinion
Unless revoked or substantially reduced to what they are now, 30 percent for 90 days, President Trump’s tariffs will still wipe out the investments made in our small family business and kill our manufacturing plant, here in Boise. When I talk to my friends and neighbors about the continuing uncertainty, I hear similar expressions of frustration about the impact of tariffs on American businesses. 
Obituaries
Obituaries
Lance Michael Martinez
Lance Michael Martinez was born Aug. 1, 1990, at St. Joseph's Hospital, Del Norte, Colo., to Marvin and Jill Martinez. 
Monroe Glen Mathias
Retired Brigadier General Monroe Glen Mathias, a pilot with Continental Airlines for forty years, died in his Denver home from complications of Parkinson’s disease on April 3, 2025, just shy of his 97th birthday. He is survived by his wife of 67 years Ruth Hudson Mathias, two daughters, three grandsons and numerous nieces and nephews. 
Robert ‘Cory’ Off
On Friday, April 25, Robert "Cory" Off passed away at the age of 69. Surrounded by his beloved family, he passed peacefully at his home in Del Norte, Colo. 
Steve White
Steve White was born Jan. 15, 1944, in Ohio City, Colo., to Frank and Mary White. Steve graduated from Center High School in Center, Colo., in 1963 where he was active in sports and was a State Wrestling Champion. 
Sallie June Varner-Bryning-Hibbs
She died in her home with her husband by her side.  Preceded by her mother and father Warren and Judy Varner, brother Roy Varner and mother-in-law Katherine Hibbs.  She first married in Monte Vista to Gerald Bryning. They raised 4 children.  She remarried Tom Hibbs in La Junta in 1971, and they added one more child to the family.  
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