Friday, July 11

The Crestone Eagle is a trusted nonprofit monthly newspaper serving Crestone, the San Luis Valley, Colorado & beyond. Our mission is to connect each other, one story at a time.

Public Lands Stripped Instead of Sold

Breaking News
By Kaitlyn Fletcher After nearly two months of public pressure, political opposition, and policy constraints, Senator (R-Utah) Mike Lee withdrew his controversial provision to sell public lands from the Senate Reconciliation Bill.  Amidst this win, the Trump administration rolled back other environmental rules that will allow public lands to be stripped of their resources under the guise of wildfire mitigation and energy dominance. This agenda continues to threaten this American legacy for future generations. “Because of the strict constraints of the budget reconciliation process, I was unable to secure clear, enforceable safeguards to guarantee that these lands would be sold only to American families – not to China, not to Blackrock and not to any foreign interests,” Lee stated. “I’ve decided to withdraw the federal land sales...

On July 4 Crestone celebrates Harmony in Diversity

Colorado
By Nick Nevares This year’s 4th of July theme, “Harmony in Diversity” shines as a vibrant celebration of unity amidst unique differences and a reminder of how we in a small community can make a positive difference in our microcosm. Crestone is a cultural mosaic, home to spiritual centers from around the world, from Buddhist monasteries to Hindu ashrams. Each spiritual community brings its own traditions, creating a rich tapestry of beliefs and practices that coexist peacefully. As residents in the community, we embrace this diversity, fostering a spirit of respect and collaboration. This year I have invited the spiritual groups to join us in the parade and afterwards engage with the event goers in a new “Spiritual Traditions” tent in the park.  The Crestone...

From our current editions

CEF Ongoing Education draws teachers and students from across the US

By Anya Kaats The Crestone Energy Fair’s recent Natural Plasters & Earthbag Greenhouse workshops were a huge success, drawing participants from across Colorado and New Mexico—and as far as California—for two distinct weekends of immersive, hands-on learning. The Natural Plaster workshop was led by world-renowned natural plaster expert Athena Steen of the Canelo Project, whose...

GOCO board awards $75K grant to conserve Rito Alto Ranch in Saguache County

The Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) board awarded a $75,000 grant to Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) through Keep It Colorado to permanently protect Rito Alto Ranch with a conservation easement.  The grant is part of Keep It Colorado’s Transaction Cost Assistance Program (TCAP) that re-grants GOCO funds to nonprofit land trusts to help cover...

Polis pardons Coloradans convicted of psychedelics possession

By Robert Davis For Colorado Sun Gov. Jared Polis on Wednesday granted pardons to four Coloradans convicted of state charges of possessing psilocybin and psilocybin. The pardons were in response to voters legalizing natural medicines in 2022. The executive order announcing the pardons says it applies to a handful of people who were age 21 or older...

Crestone citizens discuss public land issues

Produce new wilderness working group to expand protections By SLVEC On a June evening, Crestone/Baca citizens gathered at POA Hall to discuss the public lands issues that threaten their wild backyards.  Mediated by Christine Canaly, on June 20, the local attendees learned about the potential sale of up to 3.3 million acres of public lands across 11...

On July 4 Crestone celebrates Harmony in Diversity

By Nick Nevares This year’s 4th of July theme, “Harmony in Diversity” shines as a vibrant celebration of unity amidst unique differences and a reminder of how we in a small community can make a positive difference in our microcosm. Crestone is a cultural mosaic, home to spiritual centers from around the world, from Buddhist...

Public Lands Stripped Instead of Sold

By Kaitlyn Fletcher After nearly two months of public pressure, political opposition, and policy constraints, Senator (R-Utah) Mike Lee withdrew his controversial provision to sell public lands from the Senate Reconciliation Bill.  Amidst this win, the Trump administration rolled back other environmental rules that will allow public lands to be stripped of their resources under the...

The Aurora Borealis and the Yeshe Rangsal Stupa with bonus appearance by the International Space Station on May 11, 2024 in a composite from time lapse sequences. photo by Mike Lewinski

Little Bela got on stage with two members from the band The River Arkansas, at T-Road's Open Mic night, Thursday, July 25. Bella is the son of one of the players. photo by Matt Lit

Fog hangs in the trees looking north up North Crestone Creek. photo by Stephen Hume
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The July 2025 issue is on sale! Get the full story with the full edition for only $3. Click the image to download.

LISTEN IN!

NEW! Recorded for community radio station KRZA 88.7 FM. Janet Woodman reads about the mushroom coop growing in Alamosa, CO from our April 2024 edition.

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PODCAST

Chris Ryan interviews Liza Marron for his podcast "Tangentially Speaking." Liza came to the San Luis valley about 30 years ago to work on a buffalo ranch with her husband. Since then, she’s lived a lot of life in this valley. Raising kids, horses, dogs, working as school board president and County Commissioner, and founding and running the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition are just a few of the things that have kept her busy over the years.

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Classifieds

Help Wanted: Code Enforcement Officer

Help Wanted Saguache County Land Use Department is accepting applications for a fulltime Code Enforcement Officer position. Salary to be determined onexperience starting at $42,000/year. Applicants must have a valid ColoradoDrivers License, must pass...

Public Notice: Rio Grande Water Conservation District Appointment

Public Notice Rio Grande Water Conservation District Appointment The Saguache County Board of Commissioners is again accepting letters of interest for appointment to the Rio Grande Water Conservation District Board from an individual who...

Help Wanted: Project Consultant

SAGUACHE COUNTY IS SEEKING TO HIRE A PROJECT CONSULTANT TO ASSIST IN THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF SAGUACHE COUNTY OWNED PROPERITIES FOR FUTURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS. Project Saguache County is soliciting a qualified Management Consultant to...

For Rent: 1BR 1BA in Chalet 1

Chalet 1 furnished apartment: One master bedroom and bathroom, large living room, dining room and walk-in closet, full kitchen. $1150 plus half the utilities. One year lease, 2 months security. Smoke-free and pet-free....

Massage Therapy

Restore body, mind and spirit with a rejuvenating spa treatment! Experienced licensed massage therapist and spa technician offering salt and sugar scrubs, natural bentonite clay wraps, lymphatic dry brushing, hand, foot and scalp treatments....

HELP WANTED: Saguache County Chief Financial Officer

HELP WANTED: Saguache County Chief Financial Officer Saguache County is in search of a Chef Finance Officer that will takecharge of the financial health of Saguache County by administeringaccounting operations to meet legal requirements, also...

Help Wanted: Bilingual (Spanish/English) Program & Grassroots Organizer

Bilingual (Spanish/English) Program & Grassroots Organizer Location: Remote within Western Colorado, strong preference for San Luis Valley. Limited in-state travel required depending on location of candidateDeadline for submission: June 27, 2025Position details: Part-time salary...

Press Release: SAGUACHE COUNTY IMMIGRANT PROTECTION TEAM

San Luis Valley residents are supporting their immigrant friends and neighbors. The Saguache County Immigrant Protection Team and Crestone/Baca Grande Indivisible are hosting a town hall on immigration at Society Hall in Alamosa,...

For Rent: Studio in Chalet 1

Sunrise Studio available now. New studio with full bath & kitchen + storage. Ground floor. Private entrance, quiet neighborhood.Located high in Chalet 1. Mountain views. 450 sf. $800 month +$150 utilities. Text 719-539-5030 Thank you, Sharon Borch 719-539-5030

Saguache County Draft 1041 Regulations

The Board of County Commissioners will hold a Public Hearing at the Saguache County Road and Bridge meeting Room located at 305 – 3rd Street, Saguache, Colorado, on the following date: MONDAY , JUNE...

SAGUACHE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Accepting Comment Concerning: “AFFIRMING SAGUACHE COUNTY AS A SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY COUNTY AND FORMALLY OPPOSING COLORADO SENATE BILL 25-003”

SAGUACHE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL BE ACCEPTING COMMENT CONCERNING “AFFIRMING SAGUACHE COUNTY AS A SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY COUNTY AND FORMALLY OPPOSING COLORADO SENATE BILL 25-003” RESOLUTION UNTIL MONDAY, MAY 30, 2025, AT...

Help Wanted: DSS Attorney

Job Title: DSS AttorneyLocation: Saguache County, ColoradoJob Type: ContractorDepartment: Department of Social ServicesSalary: Depending upon qualifications and agreed hours. The position may not include benefits. Summary:Saguache County, Colorado is seeking an attorney to represent...

Help Wanted: Department of Social Services Accountant/Bookkeeper

Job Title: Department of Social Services Accountant/BookkeeperLocation: Saguache County, ColoradoJob Type: Full-TimeDepartment: Department of Social ServicesSalary: $22.00 – Depending on experience Summary:This position is responsible for complex accounting and finance functions including: processing, accounts...

Help Wanted: Social Caseworker

Job Title: Social CaseworkerLocation: Saguache County, ColoradoJob Type: Full-TimeDepartment: Department of Social ServicesSalary: $24.00 – Depending on experience Summary:Saguache County is seeking a Social Caseworker for the Saguache County Department of Human Services.Position provides...

Help Wanted: Housing Manager

Crestone Peak Community Housing is seeking a Housing Manager to oversee the daily operations of Living Wisdom Village. Responsibilities include processing applications, income calculations and recertifications, collecting and processing rent payments, tasks associated...

Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor criteria:
We’re glad you’re part of this community. Here’s how it works:
Max Length: 350 words. If your letter is longer than this, we will return it to you to trim.
Must include: author’s name, town/city, organization affiliation (if relevant), contact information in case we have a question. Contact information will not be published with your letter. The decision to print any letter to the editor is completely at the discretion of The Crestone Eagle editor, and we reserve the right to edit all letters. Letters considered libelous, obscene, in bad taste, or containing personal attacks will not be printed. Form letters and letters containing long lists of names will not be printed. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Thank-you letters are welcomed and encouraged, and letters regarding local news and issues will be prioritized.

Send letters to editor@crestoneeagle.com by the 16th of the month.
Thank you.

Villa Grove FD thanks

To the community, Our Villa Grove/Bonanza VFD annual fundraiser on June 22nd was a huge success. We greatly appreciate our community and donors that continue...
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What we can do

Dear community,  With the recent Supreme Court decision on Presidential Immunity, it is clearer than ever that this election is a choice between Democracy and...
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NHN Thanks

Dear community, On behalf of Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Crestone, a big thanks goes out to the entire community, volunteers and the Baca Grande Property Owners...
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Features from our B Section: "Living on the Earth"

CEF Ongoing Education draws teachers and students from across the US

By Anya Kaats The Crestone Energy Fair’s recent Natural Plasters & Earthbag Greenhouse workshops were a huge success, drawing participants from across Colorado and New Mexico—and as far as California—for two distinct weekends of immersive, hands-on learning. The Natural Plaster workshop was led by world-renowned natural plaster expert Athena Steen of the Canelo Project, whose decades of experience brought depth, artistry, and inspiration to the process of mixing and applying clay-based finishes. The Earthbag Greenhouse workshop was guided by local builder and CEF crew member Dana Oglesby, who taught participants how to construct strong, sustainable walls using scoria-filled earthbags—a DIY...

The Valley is vital to threatened bird populations

By Kaitlyn Fletcher Photo Credit: John Rawinski The 2025 State of Birds report raises alarm for birds across every habitat, again. Nearly one-third of America’s bird species need immediate conservation action. About 50% of all bird species found in the U.S. can be spotted in Colorado, which boasts a total of 521 species from 63 different families. The state of valley birds Local bird expert John Rawinski has documented 369 bird species in the San Luis Valley as of 2024, adding one to three new species annually. That’s over two-thirds of Colorado’s birds. Lined by rugged mountains, the desertscape slopes into piñon-juniper and conifer...

Crestone Energy Fair secures $75K grant to advance sustainable building research

By Anya KaatsPhoto by Anya Kaats The Crestone Energy Fair (CEF) has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Mountain and Plains Environmental Justice Grant Hub (MAP EJ) to further its research on alternative building techniques. The funding will allow the organization to refine its data collection methods and continue advocating for sustainable housing solutions and preserve Saguache County’s lack of building codes. This grant comes on the heels of the recently concluded Sustainable Home Showdown (SHS), a citizen-led research initiative that evaluated a diverse array of homes in the Crestone area. The SHS aimed to collect data on home efficiency,...

The Crestone Energy Fair returns for 36th year

By CEF Crew, Photo by Anya Kaats The theme for this year’s Energy Fair (CEF) is Nurturing Resilience, and the event will be focused on what it means to cultivate communal solidarity and forward-thinking leadership to navigate change on our own terms. CEF has remained a pillar of Crestone’s commitment to natural and regenerative building and living, and is one of the longest-running sustainability festivals in the nation. CEF features hands-on workshops, educational panels and presentations, and on-going learning opportunities centered around innovative, sustainable and regenerative ideas and practices in construction, lifestyle and community. The event has become a reliable resource...

Beavers in the SLV: Why you should start giving a dam about this keystone species

By Zaylah Pearson-Good. Due to a history of hunting and habitat loss, beaver colonies have diminished across the San Luis Valley in the last few centuries. Though beaver populations are stable in parts of the Valley, efforts are underway to restore the species to key waterways that they once occupied. Beavers play a major role in maintaining ecological balance, protecting endangered fish and mitigating the impacts of wildfire.   It takes a beaver approximately 24 hours to completely re-engineer an ecosystem. These stout, orange-toothed rodents use sticks, mud, leaves and grasses to build watertight dams that slow and redirect water across...

Buffalo Soldiers: A tribute to the Buffalo Soldiers and their place in SLV history

by Brandon Gonzales.  Having been shaped for thousands of years by many different Indigenous nations, and more recently by non-Indigenous settlers, the San Luis Valley (SLV) has always been a crossroads of different cultures and traditions. The Fort Garland Museum is showcasing a sliver of the region’s unique human history with their newest exhibit, Buffalo Soldiers: reVision. The exhibit draws from the work of 8 artists to explore the legacy that the “Buffalo Soldiers” left on the SLV and its peoples during American western expansion.  For some background, the Buffalo Soldiers were six Black cavalry regiments that were established by Congress...

Partnership: Utes partner with USDA

Reprinted from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. DENVER, CO—Southern Ute Indian Reservation - A historic partnership is forging between the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Through the USDA or NRCS Agency's Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the entities have jointly entered an alternative funding arrangement (AFA) to improve rangeland resiliency and health on Tribal lands. This project is funded through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). "This is an exciting partnership", said Clint Evans, NRCS State Conservationist in Colorado. "The Southern Ute Indian Tribe is the first Tribe in the...

La Colcha: Weaving history with present day HEART

By HEART of Saguache. The San Luis Valley Colcha Embroidery project recently hosted a free workshop at the Saguache County Museum in early June. The workshop was at capacity, with most of the attendees being residents of Saguache County.  Participants delved into the history of colcha embroidery in the San Luis Valley, learned the traditional colcha stitch, and examined artwork examples and a library of publications on the topic. Afterwards, everyone picnicked in the front of the museum.  HEART thanked its dedicated instructors from San Luis and Monte Vista, who traveled to Saguache to lead the workshop: Maria Eufemia Barela, Donna Madrid Hernandez, Aurora Martinez, and Julia...
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From our columns...

Sports season nears end for school year

By Ziah Knight-Pesqueira. Basketball Wrap Up - Boys and Girls Following the end of the basketball season, all seniors from both girls’ and boys’ teams participated in the Arby’s All Star Game. Seniors from teams around the San Luis Valley (SLV)  region were able to practice and compete together one last...

CCS students to create mural for Crestone Town Park stage

By Sequoia Sirois The town of Crestone has always had many community projects going on throughout the years. Projects range from cleaning up the roads of trash for Earth Day, establishing a new town park for the kids, to building a new show stage for community performances.  This year a new...

Sports transition: Bball ends and track runs

By Ziah Knight-Pesqueira  HS Boys Basketball ends After a tough 73-39 playoff loss against the Stratton Eagles the Moffat Cowboys season officially comes to an end. The Cowboys finished their season with a 13-8 record while also qualifying for the Colorado Regional Playoff. Over the course of the past four years...

Puerto Rico! 

CCS Seniors mix education, culture, art and fun in their out-of-country trip By Sequoia Sirois. The Crestone Charter School (CCS) gives amazing diverse learning opportunities to all students.  LINK high schoolers are given the lucky chance to go places out of the United States mainland. LINK is a reference to seniors...

Moffat Archers participated in the 2024 NASP Colorado State Virtual Tournament on Tuesday, February 27th, with 30 students participating. This is the most important tournament of the season for our archers. Competitors will shoot 30 arrows to score. Scoring officials will submit results to the State NASP Coordinator and...

Moffat sports 

By Ziah Knight-Pesqueira  Moffat Boys Basketball: The Moffat Cowboys have finished the regular season with a 13-6 record; solidifying themselves a place in the regional playoffs. The Cowboys most recently faced the Sierra Grande Panthers in a district play-in tournament. Unfortunately, the team came short, taking a 48-43 loss in a...
At the end of the road

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