San Luis Valley

By Anya KaatsPhoto Matt Lit.Crestone resident and Town Trustee Adam Kinney will run against incumbent County Commissioner Tom McCracken in the upcoming Saguache County Commissioner Democratic Primary for District 1. After announcing his candidacy, Kinney secured the required votes necessary to have his name placed on the June Primary ballot. At the March 5 Caucus and Assembly, Kinney secured 30 votes, and McCracken 20. “People deserve a choice,” Kinney explained. “One candidate is underwhelming and leads to complacency and taking the position for granted. Competition causes candidates to work harder to earn your votes and to consider your needs.” McCracken, who...

By Lori Nagel The struggle for healthy, prepared and affordable food in Crestone is real and it’s not uncommon to overhear local conversations about it on any given day. Those options have recently expanded, thanks to the Ruby Rose Bakery at the Hooper Junction Sinclair gas station (11704 CO-17, Hooper), a short 25-minute drive from the town of Crestone.  There have been rumblings around the community about that terrific new bakery and restaurant, but what many don’t know is, they have healthy, nutritious to-go meals as well.  Angelica Quintana, head chef and baker at Ruby Rose, has enjoyed the culinary arts for many...

ALAMOSA, CO — Sand Dunes Mushroom Cooperative, LCA, has launched a campaign to raise $20,000. The co-op will use the funds to purchase equipment and complete renovation of its warehouse.   After months of training on both the production side of growing specialty mushrooms and the business side of owning their own company, the eight founding worker-owners are ready for their next step: growing and selling.  The co-op aims to begin production of specialty mushrooms in April for sale at farmers markets and to restaurants from Santa Fe to Denver and from eastern Kansas to Aspen. The co-op is in its pilot-project...

By Gregg GoodlandPublic Affairs OfficerRio Grande National Forest DEL NORTE, CO—Dennis Kuhnel has been appointed as Forest supervisor of the Rio Grande National Forest. Kuhnel began serving in the role on Feb. 12. A native of northwestern Nebraska, Kuhnel attended Colby College and earned graduate degrees from the Universities of Iowa, Nebraska, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Kansas School of Law, where he specialized in natural resources law. Kuhnel’s career had him working in academia and for different federal agencies including the BLM, Forest Service, and National Park Service in cultural resources, education and interpretation, and recreation. Kuhnel...

Chokurei Yak Ranch faces change after 16 years of stewardship By Zaylah Khundmiri  photographs by Matt Lit. When Kyle Grote, a video producer from Ohio, first came to the San Luis Valley (SLV) in 2006, he was looking for a quiet place where he and his wife Teanna could raise their family. He never would have expected that he would soon be the new steward of 2,400 acres of highly sought after land in the remote SLV. Bidding on water  It all began at an auction in 2007. Stretching between Moffat and Crestone, 2,400 acres of undeveloped land, previously the Weiss Ranch, was being sold...

The Town of Center will be updating its codes in an effort to address community housing needs. The town will host a Town Hall meeting next week to address citizen comments and questions. Keith Brockhurst, the town’s economic development coordinator, issued this summary of the code changes:  The meeting will be at Center Town Hall, 294 S. Worth St.  What’s the purpose of making these updates? The primary objective is to update our codes to help us address our community’s housing needs and foster sustainable development for our community by: Supporting the development of additional housing units for local residents. Simplifying our codes to...

The drawing for the regular season is complete and the hunter lists have been created. If you did not apply for drawing, there is still a chance that you could hunt on a refuge. Please call the Monte Vista office at 719-587-6900 to be added to the refuge list. Higel SWA and Subunits Permits Thank you for your interest in applying for access permits to Higel SWA (Higel SWA, Higel Lease Area, Hale North and Hale South Public Access Areas). Access permits are required as described below. To apply for a permit click here. The following are the regulations that apply on Higel...

By Ameille Warner. For over 10,000 years, the people of the San Luis Valley (SLV) have been sustained by the bounties of this land — hunting, foraging, and cultivating all they needed thanks to the fertile soil and abundant water. Agriculture in the Valley continues to play a vital role in Colorado’s economy, ranging from the mighty SLV potato to diverse crops and livestock, contributing nearly $490 million and standing as the region’s largest private employer. Despite this rich agricultural heritage, modern times have created complex obstacles within the SLV food system. Barriers to local producers include the growing export model,...