CONEJOS COUNTY — A new transportation service is coming to Conejos County. Mountain Valley Transit will begin serving Antonito, Romeo, Manassa, and La Jara with a free shuttle service between those communities and Alamosa starting Nov. 6.

FORT GARLAND — Avery Hernandez came to the San Luis Valley about a year ago, loved it, and decided to move to the Fort Garland area. He had a successful family seafood restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas.

LA JARA — The fourth annual Fun With 911 event was held on Oct. 14 in La Jara and was a big success this year, according to organizers.

SAN LUIS — San Luis will be the place to be Oct. 13-14. The Town of San Luis and the Costilla County Economic Development Council (CCEDC) have been working for to settle various issues and to renovate the beautiful white Sangre de Cristo Cultural Heritage Center in the middle of San Luis. Issues have been resolved.

CONEJOS CANYON — The mountain community of Bear Creek, located 17 miles west of Antonito, has awarded three scholarships to three graduating high school seniors for 2023. The Bear Creek Scholarship Committee raises funds throughout each year from its residents as well as many local businesses for these college scholarships. The scholarships are awarded to one graduating senior from each high school in Conejos Canyon — Antonito, Sanford, and Centauri.

COSTILLA COUNTY — Juntos 4-H is focusing on the families of Costilla County. Carol Gurule, the SLV Juntos 4-H Youth Development Specialist with the CSU San Luis Valley Extension office, is partnering with several other organizations for several events which preserve family traditions and strengthen family bonds.

SAN LUIS — American Legion Post No. 142 in San Luis continues to provide more services for Veterans and for the community.

Whether you are a person doing your own backyard gardening or someone who does it for a living, the Colorado Master Gardener program may be for you. The Colorado Master Gardener program is a program where you learn about gardening in Colorado. The first step is to apply now, between Aug. 1 and Sept. 15, at ColoradoMasterGardener.org or go to https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/about/become-a-colorado-master-gardener-2/.

MOSCA — Valley Roots Food Hub is an organization that noticed the disconnect between the agriculturally rich San Luis Valley and the local population which had limited access to the food grown here.

SOUTH VALLEY — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet announced his San Luis Valley Regional staff will hold office hours in Costilla and Conejos counties on Tuesday, July 25. Bennet and his team are committed to answering Coloradans’ questions, listening to their concerns, and helping them navigate federal agencies –– including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and more.

ALAMOSA — On Saturday night, a one-vehicle accident claimed the life of a young woman from Capulin.

SAN LUIS — The community turned out on July 1 to support the American Legion Post No. 142’s fundraiser. Funds will be used to complete the inside renovations — adding a kitchen and bar.

SAN LUIS VALLEY — Residents of San Luis Valley may remember filling out several surveys last fall. One dealt with water quality in domestic wells. Another dealt with stressors affecting agricultural workers.

COSTILLA COUNTY — Rural America, including San Luis Valley, has been in the spotlight recently. There are several organizations from the federal government to local non-profits, who focus on providing business training, resources for town managers, community leaders, and entrepreneurs to help them create more economic opportunities for their community to thrive.

DENVER — The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced Tuesday, March 28, that History Colorado’s Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center is among 15 museum finalists for the 2023 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that demonstrate significant impact in their communities.

SAN LUIS — The Sangre de Cristo Acequia Association (SdCAA) recently announced it is hosting the 11th annual Congreso de Acequias on Saturday, March 11, at Centennial School in San Luis.

ALAMOSA — Eighty-eight-year-old Herbert Marx is a lively gentleman who is clearly interested in Germany and soccer.

SAN LUIS — On Jan. 7, Costilla County Deputy Sheriff Kevin Schultz and his wife, Tanya White, were honored by Heroes of Blue, an organization that recognizes officers that have shown exceptional resilience and willingness to continue the difficult work of a police officer, despite danger and injury.

ALAMOSA — For 23 years, San Luis Valley Federal Bank has been giving back to the San Luis Valley community with the Spirit of Giving event, from Nov. 14-Dec. 16 this year. Each year, the bank takes $30,000 to help non-profits throughout San Luis Valley. This year 205 non-profits were eligible to receive funds.

SAN LUIS — Soul Players of the Valley is conducting a survey that will be used to form an economic recovery plan.