Current Edition

By Tricia Toney After an extended downpour and hail in downtown Crestone, as a rainbow formed over the peaks, about 40 people gathered under tents, with others viewing via livestream to hear about something brighter: the future of the San Luis Valley economy. A panel of local leaders, brought together by Ameille Warner, Executive Director of Saguache County Sustainable Environment and Economic Development (ScSEED), took on a broad range of topics shaping that future, including: public transit, tourism and housing. The panel included: • Ame Warner – Executive Director, ScSEED; Owner, Dandelion Creative Services; Marketing Consultant, Saguache County Tourism Council; Saguache Town...

By Lori Nagel For the last eight of her 15 years in the industry, Phylesha Mirelez, aka Phlea, has been offering a variety of salon services to the Crestone community, catering to each client based on their individual hair styling needs. “I do everybody in the family's haircut and I also do hair color,” she explained. “I do braids and extensions and most everyone knows me for my loctician work—dreadlocks.” Touting that valuable service for Crestone, Mirelez helps people start new dreads, perform maintenance on existing ones, will thoroughly wash them, or comb them out for people who want to restore their...

By Kaitlyn Fletcher, SLVEC Nestled between the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan mountain ranges, the San Luis Valley is the largest alpine basin in the world, extending 125 miles from Poncha Pass to the Taos Plateau. This 8,000-square-mile area is home to an abundance of fragile ecosystems. With over 3.1 million acres of public lands, the valley needed an organization dedicated to advocating for these landscapes. This sparked the creation of the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council. In June 2000, Christine Canaly signed on as the director of the new nonprofit. “I had the opportunity to represent equity on the landscape,”...

By Anya Kaats Two candidates are vying for one open seat on the Baca Grande Property Owners Association Board of Directors, with ballots due by 7 p.m. on Oct. 10. The two candidates are Matt Evers, a local owner-builder, and current member of the Environmental & Architectural Committee, and LeRoy West, the current Board President who has served on the Board for the past three and a half years. Each brings distinct priorities and perspectives on how to manage the community’s growth, finances and future. The Crestone Eagle sent identical questions to each candidate, and their answers are summarized below.  In regard...

by Kimberly Black Crestone Food Bank manager Karol Penner resigned, effective Sept. 18, after nearly a year leading the pantry within La Puente’s Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley. Sherice Shiner from La Puente will serve in the interim until a new management team is found. No one has stepped forward to take over management yet. “I know the core volunteers we have want to keep it as accessible as possible because there is an element of real need in the community,” Penner said. She cited injuries sustained at the food bank and a desire to spend more time with...

From Sacred Contract As of June 7, 2025, an iconic local landmark became the first mountain in the United States to own itself. Following a transfer of title from a private foundation to the mountain itself, Pyramid Mountain now holds its own deed. This revolutionary act not only protects the near 30-acre parcel of land from future development or extraction, but also invites humankind to reimagine the relationship between humans and nature. The title transfer was part of the “Land That Owns Itself” program of Sacred Contract, a coalition of several different organizations which has worked over the past two years...

By Tricia Toney  Plans to build affordable single-family homes in Casita Park, on lots owned by Saguache County, are moving forward, but multiple challenges remain. The county’s goal is to offer these homes for sale at or below $225,000. But with construction costs continuing to climb and many grant sources drying up, officials and project partners acknowledge that hitting that target may not be realistic.  Project architect Cillian Liam Barrett of Hearth Design Build in Gunnison was selected from a competitive request for proposals (RFP) process last year. Barrett brings a background in sustainable, community-minded building practices, having worked extensively with...

Hearing highlights issues with state hospital systemic failure by Kim Black Baca Resident Leslie Lorish remains in custody and it is unlikely that she will be released any time soon. That decision was handed down by a judge following a hearing on Aug. 28. Judge Kim Cortez ruled Lorish incompetent to stand trial and ordered inpatient restoration, requiring her to remain in-custody until the state hospital can admit her. Lorish’s next hearing on restoration treatment is set for Sept. 25 at 3:30 p.m., at the Alamosa Competency Court, in Alamosa, CO.  The most recent ruling followed an earlier hearing on Aug. 18 that...