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Harmony with Sacred Sites: Excerpts from video interview: John P. Milton shares about the origins of the Sacred Land Sanctuary
By John P. Milton Sacred Land Sanctuary
So here we are at the Sacred Land Sanctuary, just north of Crestone, Colorado, one of my favorite places on the planet. I thought today I might share a few things about the Sanctuary and especially about some of the archeological sites here. When I first moved here in the late seventies, nobody in the neighborhood knew about the existence of these archeological sites—meditation seats, meditation beds, and different kinds of places where you could sit and have a shift in your energy field and a shift in the way you are actually related to Nature and the Cosmos and Yourself. So these Sacred Sites support Outer Nature connection, deepening Inner Nature experience, and enlivening your opportunity to connect with Source. Some of the seats give you a really powerful support to connect to your pure Source Nature, your True Nature. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
When I first got here, together with a small group of friends, we formed a community called SunCircle with plans to build an ecovillage. We thought all the abundant local stones, called the Crestone conglomerate, would be an ideal source of heat. Our idea was that as the sun came into south-facing houses, the stones would absorb the heat and re-radiate it back, holding the warmth. A lot of the stones were a combination of metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary—mostly metamorphic meaning that many were originally sedimentary or igneous and then, with repeated cycles of erosion and uplift—and the exertion of a lot of geologic pressure, stones often formed within stones…. All that change and pressure created a very, very unusual kind of metamorphic conglomerate rock, which is what we have today, for the most part, here in Crestone.
Early on in life, I was taught by my grandma and grandpa. They passed along a number of indigenous influences, such as that it was very important to ask Nature for permission before you do anything to alter it. They also taught me to give thanks for what you’ve received, particularly from Nature where you live. Giving thanks to Nature for all the gifts that we were receiving was part of our daily life. So I suggested to my partners in this ecovillage that we were planning to build just north of Crestone, that it might be good to take a deep dive into asking whether this project would be appropriate for this place.
Most of my partners in SunCircle were not able to be here to quest with me, which would have been an ideal kind of thing—to have a small cluster of us who are engaged, do it together, and each one in a solo camp and do a vision quest or the equivalent like a Renewal Program (1 day), Nature Quest (4-7 days), or Sacred Passage (11-12 days) which are classic programs now offered through the Way of Nature. So I went up to the headwaters of the beautiful stream that flows through this land here, because watersheds are a very ancient way of delineating territories—how Nature really sets natural boundaries. The watershed provides that for us. So I thought, well, by going to the head of the watershed, I am going to the beginning of where much of this unique geology, and the water flowing through it, comes from. And it’s also high altitude. I chose a spot at about twelve and a half thousand feet and quested there.
When I went out, I went into a basin that has a gigantic, U-shaped cirque carved by glaciers. And in the middle of that there is a pillar of stone, coming up like that (John gestures an upward column with his hand), and at the base of the pillar were several small lakes. I put my camp at the base of the pillar and those small lakes. It was pretty dramatic because, if you know anything about Hindu mythology and spiritual practice, they have the Shiva Lingam and the Yoni, and they bring the two together, and it’s very tantric in its origin.
So you have this phallic-like shape coming up out of the middle of the Yoni, and the Yoni is represented by a more U-shaped, womb type of a configuration. And of course the phallic shape is rising up out of the middle of that.
And that’s one of the most important symbols in Hindu spirituality — unifying the Sacred Masculine and Feminine.
Especially in the Shaivite tradition, which I was a part of for quite a bit of time, and the devotion to the Sacred Mother, Divine Mother.
So anyway, I found a place where this incredible U of the Yoni and the Lingam configuration of stone came together—a powerful place to do a deep dive into solitude and deep connection to Outer Nature, Inner Nature, and True Nature. At the end of that quest, I was told that I would receive the information that I would need to bring back to our little community that was going to build the solar village.
I just had to go back and stay open and listen to the messages that come through from Spirit.
Join us next month for the continuation of this story, and find out what unique aspects John was shown about the land that led to the creation of the Sacred Land Sanctuary.
Harmony with Sacred Sites: Crestone conglomerate beckons
By John P. Milton
Continuing from last month’s article where John describes going out on a 14-day quest to ask permission to build an eco-village north of Crestone back in the ’80s, we now hear about the unique sacred sites revealed to him by Spirit.
“So I came back. I had one night of rest at my little cabin (where I lived for over 22 years—without plumbing or electricity, and where the stream was the main source for drinking water and washing) here at the Sacred Land Sanctuary. So I got up the next morning and went out and I was immediately taken to the first place that became a very important discovery for us.
These stones that I was taken to by Spirit…I was literally picked up by the sleeve of my shirt and pulled to the first one. And what I was pulled to was a chair made of Crestone conglomerate stone—quite beautiful, with rocks within rocks within rocks. It didn’t have arms, but it had a back, a place to sit that fit my butt perfectly, and a place for my feet to connect down into Mother Earth.
“As I sat there I discovered that I could get into a really good meditation posture, by doing what I normally do for sitting practice in a chair, where you go back and forth and find where you’re perfectly centered—not being pulled forward or backward or to either side—a very balanced point. Also, lifting from the Baihui point (pronounced “byway”) at the top of the crown of the head.
When you’re in that state of harmony and balance your capacity to be open and sense the energy of a place is heightened.
“Sitting like that, relaxed and present, in this first seat, I was amazed. I could immediately feel the energy shift. Very powerful. Very strong. It was not like just sitting in a normal chair—at all. Something was coming through from that spot that I guess in modern times we might call a vortex. Some kind of a deep shift of perception occurred.
At the time, I didn’t know exactly what was going on, but I could feel it. It was kind-of an opening, a warmth, a feeling of deep connection to the Earth and to the Heavens, and a deep connection to everything surrounding me in the environment.
“So, of course it was a wonderful experience. I was really starting to settle into that and enjoy it, and immediately Spirit came and said (John tugs on the shoulder of his shirt), “‘Gotta move on. There’s more to see. More to experience.'”
“I was taken to another one, and this one was a little different. It had a different configuration. Also made from the Crestone conglomerate geology, but it had a different look, a different location, and the feeling of it was quite different. The first one had a feeling of being connected more to my clear, open awareness. The second one had more of a feeling of the opening of the heart, and a feeling of real joy and happiness from the opening of the heart and of the increase of energy flow—kind of an opening of the main channels of my body.
“I was familiar with those energy channels, because I was finishing up thirty years of deep Taoist internal alchemy practice, as well as Tai Chi and Qi Gong training and teaching.
After having been trained in Buddhist meditation practice by a monk in the late sixties, my training continued in the Himalayas, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan during the ’70s while helping to set up national parks in the region.
I had amazing teachers in the Hindu Goddess traditions as well as in Tibetan Vajrayana and Dzogchen with Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
“That training really refined my entire body and my energy system as well as my awareness to be sensitive to energy patterns and flows in myself and externally.
It helped me to truly listen to the voices and energy of Nature.
So I honored that, and as I went to the first two seats, I could tell pretty quickly the differences between the two seats. They were both based on Heaven and Earth connectivity, they were both based on a unity with the local surrounding environment, but the content of the experience had its own unique quality.
And then after I sat in the second one which was more about opening the heart and dropping into a really beautiful, almost blissful state, Spirit again came and said, ‘Nope, you can’t stay there, you gotta move on. We have more to show you.'”
And so by the end of the day, I was introduced to over 80 of these stone meditation seats, and beds. Beds meaning that you would lie down in these configurations—like a bed with a stone pillow often—and in those beds you could completely relax and let go into being fully present with the energy shifts that occurred.”
Join us next month as we continue to explore the vast network of energy meridians and stone meditation seats and beds at the Sacred Land Sanctuary here in Crestone.
Living in harmony with sacred sites: A cultural model for honoring nature
By John P. Milton
Continuing from last month’s article, we hear from John about how the discovery of stone meditation seats and beds led to the creation of the Sacred Land Sanctuary—a model for honoring Nature as Church, Temple, or Synagogue.
“When I first explored the network of stone seats and beds on the land north of Crestone, I discovered that many of them were remarkably supportive for sky meditation. In Taoist and Dzogchen practice, gazing into the open space of the sky is a powerful method for recognizing the vast, clear awareness of our True Nature. The sky becomes a meditative partner: clouds arise and dissolve, just as thoughts and emotions do. Meditating with the sky naturally supports a return to sky-like inner consciousness and recognition of Source.
“It soon became clear that the Ancient Ones who built these intricate stone configurations had a profound connection to Source. The seats and beds are arranged in ways that help open deep levels of awareness. They function as a kind of spiritual technology, supporting Source realization. Each stone bed helped open my internal central channel, which was especially helpful in maintaining wakefulness—a common challenge in sky-gazing practice.
“After being shown the first few stone beds and seats, I felt guided from one to another throughout the day. By the end, I had been introduced to nearly 80 distinct stone configurations, each offering its own energetic shift and experiential opening. Over time, I began to feel insights descending from above while also sensing the nurturing embrace of the Earth rising up from below, integrating within me through the support of the seats.
“At that time, I was living in a small cabin on this land, which was originally intended to become an eco-village called SunCircle. Although most of the original partners were unable to move here to bring that vision into fruition, I shared with them the discovery of the Sacred Sites. Some were deeply inspired, and several spent extended periods on the land, having their own sacred experiences. Others, however, were disappointed to learn that in order to protect the Sacred Sites, the planned eco-village could not be built.
“Originally, we had envisioned building ecologically using native stone for solar gain and heat storage. The discovery of the stone seats changed our perspective. What we had first assumed were random rocks left by glaciers or flooding turned out to be intentional structures. In fact, it became clear that one could not walk more than about 100 feet in any direction without encountering a Sacred Site. The density of these stone seats and beds is extraordinary.
“In addition, I discovered a network of Earth-surface energy meridians weaving together the stone seats, streams, plants, animals, and birds—an interconnected web of life. Over time, I came to understand that the Earth itself, and the Crestone area in particular, possesses a vast system of energy pathways, much like the meridians in the human body, flowing with qi or prana.
“Many of the stone seats are located at intersections of these energy pathways, which helped explain why Crestone feels so uniquely powerful. Since that early initiation, the Way of Nature community and I have identified thousands of Sacred Sites and energy meridians throughout the land here and across the broader Crestone area.
“As my SunCircle partners encountered these discoveries, reactions varied. Some, like my old friend Jimmy Valentine, were ecstatic, amazed that what we had found went far beyond our original vision. Others struggled with disappointment, yet ultimately we made a collective decision not to proceed with the building project. We came to feel that the eco-village was meant to arise elsewhere.
“Today, Crestone itself has become an example of a spontaneously emerging community with a strong commitment to ecological sensitivity and environmental care. In that sense, the original vision did manifest—just not in the way we first imagined.
“Instead of an eco-village, the SunCircle land became something entirely new: a Sacred Land Sanctuary, a place devoted to honoring the Earth and Nature as a living temple. Its purpose is to preserve the Sacredness of Nature as embodied by these ancient stone sites.
“Establishing such a sanctuary has not been easy within contemporary culture. Worship in Nature, or reverence for Creation itself, was historically suppressed by many early European settler traditions. This worldview, which denied the Sacredness of Nature, was often used to justify the displacement of Indigenous Peoples whose spiritual lives were deeply rooted in the land.
“In this period when we need to come back into balance with the rest of Life and Nature, it is essential to restore a cultural foundation that recognizes Nature as Sacred and ourselves as part of that Sacred whole. While Indigenous cultures offer powerful models, we must also cultivate our own direct experiences of Sacredness—authentic, lived, and arising from within.
“This intention lies at the heart of Way of Nature, which offers an inter-cultural and inter-faith approach to spiritual practice in Nature, emphasizing the common ground among the world’s nature-connected wisdom traditions.
“What became the Sacred Land Sanctuary now stands as one of the early examples in contemporary culture of land preserved specifically for its Sacred Sites. It is a welcoming place to enter into deep relationship with Nature and with the Sacredness of all life—including the Stone People.
“Thank you for continuing to explore the origins and intention of the Sacred Land Sanctuary here in Crestone. Join us next month as we delve into the sentience of stones, known as wisdom keepers by many Indigenous Peoples.”
Saguache BOCC unanimously certify mill levy and approve balanced 2026 budget
By Lisa Cyriacks
Saguache County Commissioners unanimously certified the county mill levy and approved a balanced budget for 2026 following a public budget hearing at which no public comments were offered.
The assessor certified a total assessed valuation for the county of $140,311,423. A mill levy of 18.831 for the general fund, 3.200 for social services and 0.500 for public health was approved. A property tax revenue of $2,642,204 is budgeted for the general fund.
In opening remarks, Commissioner Tom McCracken emphasized that the 2026 budget reflects a strong commitment to employee retention, public safety and expanded services while remaining fiscally responsible, as required by state statute.
Focus on employees and retention
Commissioners highlighted significant progress in employee compensation and benefits over the past several years. Starting wages have increased from $13.00 per hour in 2021 to $17.85 per hour in 2025. After a 90-day probationary period, wages rise to $18.85 per hour. In addition, the county has funded a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for employees every year since 2021, including a 2.8% COLA for 2026.
The 2026 budget includes a fully funded health insurance option for employees. Those who choose the least expensive plan pay zero deductions from their wages.
Four additional, more comprehensive plans are available, that include some deductions from paychecks depending on the chosen plan. A 5% employer match for employee retirement further supports workforce stability.
Following adoption of a newly approved pay scale, salary increases were approved across multiple departments. Two positions in Road & Bridge, two in the Assessor’s Office, three in the Clerk’s Office and three in the Treasurer’s Office advanced two levels due to increased education, certifications and expanded job responsibilities.
Expanded county services
The 2026 budget reflects continued expansion of several county services that did not exist just a few years ago. Over the past two years, the county has established a three-person IT department, added a noxious weed department and reinstated driver’s license services in the county clerk’s office.
Adoption of regulations as required by State Regulation 43, expanded public health and land use responsibilities to include oversight of on-site wastewater systems.
Public safety remains a top priority, with the Saguache County Sheriff’s Department fully funded in the approved 2026 budget.
Housing and infrastructure investments
At the hearing, commissioners also highlighted progress on housing initiatives aimed at addressing local needs. Construction is underway on a 32-unit apartment complex in Saguache, known as the Rangeview project, which is approximately 50 percent complete. A separate single-family project is planned in the Baca Grande’s Casita Park.
Additional investments across the county included support for fire districts, with $50,000 allocated to each. Projects included a fire well in La Garita and a new firehouse in the Town of Crestone.
Other improvements receiving funding from the county are Vista Grande Park in Saguache and paving one mile of road in each of the county’s three districts beyond what is covered in the regular road budget.
Balanced budget approved
In addition to property tax revenue, the 2026 Budget Message identifies material sources of revenue to include Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) from the Federal government, highway user tax funds (HUTF) from the state, investment interest, treasurer fees, sales tax and marijuana excise tax, in addition to various federal and state grants to be used for specified purposes. It is anticipated that revenues will be about the same as 2025.
Saguache County is fortunate to have received Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency funds in 2022 and 2023 that are available for 2026 expenditures. The budget includes a portion of these funds for capital asset purchases.
A transfer from the Public Safety Fund (funded by 1.5% sales tax to support the sheriff’s office/jail) to the general fund is also budgeted.
The sheriff’s department includes $280,000 to Rio Grande County jail for housing inmates, since the existing Saguache County jail is used solely for booking procedures and temporarily housing prisoners waiting to be transported to other facilities.
The final amended budget incorporates all approved pay raises and departmental adjustments. Road & Bridge is budgeted at zero fund balance, while the General Fund reflects a 2026 yearend fund balance of $791.90.
With no public comments offered during the hearing, the board closed the public session and approved the budget without further discussion. The mill levy certification, departmental increases and final amended 2026 budget all passed unanimously.
County officials noted that the budget represents steady progress in strengthening county services while meeting statutory requirements for fiscal balance and transparency.
WUI woes continue: Counties push back on unfunded WUI; fed lawmakers offer alternative
By Tricia Toney
As Colorado counties wrestle with whether to comply with the state’s newly adopted Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) code, a different approach to wildfire and disaster mitigation is emerging at the federal level—one that emphasizes incentives rather than mandates.
The WUI code, adopted by the state of Colorado in July, establishes stricter building requirements for new construction in wildfire-prone areas. While supporters say the measures are necessary to reduce wildfire risk, county leaders across Colorado argue that the code fails to account for alternative building materials, fails to respect the expertise of fire mitigation specialists and mandates costly new administrative burdens without providing funding for them.
In Saguache County, the debate has played out publicly for nearly a year. Commissioners have not yet announced a final decision on whether to implement or reject the code, although discussions are leaning towards one of two options: joining with other counties to present a united front against this unfunded mandate; or quietly declining to comply.
Counties may opt out by invoking Colorado Revised Statute 29-1-304.5, which allows local governments to treat state mandates as optional if no funding accompanies them. While the statute has never been tested in court, multiple counties, including Saguache, have already sent formal notices to state officials asserting their right to decline implementation.
Meanwhile, in mid-December, federal lawmakers reintroduced the Shelter Act, a bipartisan bill that many see as a response to the growing resistance to unfunded state and local mandates. Although the legislation does not explicitly reference Colorado’s WUI code, it addresses the same underlying concern: who pays for disaster mitigation.
Introduced by U.S. senators Michael Bennet, of Colorado and Bill Cassidy, of Louisiana, the Shelter Act would establish a first-of-its-kind federal disaster mitigation tax credit. Under the proposal, families and small businesses could deduct 25 percent of qualifying mitigation expenses—up to $3,750 per taxpayer—for improvements that reduce risks from wildfire, flooding, wind, hail and other natural disasters.
Unlike the WUI code, which prescribes specific building standards, the Shelter Act relies on voluntary participation. Supporters argue that incentives empower property owners to take proactive steps toward resilience without forcing compliance or overburdening local governments.
Colorado officials and organizations have voiced support for the bill. The Colorado Resiliency Office described the measure as a tool that could help communities of all sizes prepare for increasingly frequent and severe natural hazards. Fire Adapted Colorado, a statewide nonprofit focused on wildfire resilience, said tax incentives have already proven effective in encouraging fuel reduction and other mitigation efforts in wildfire-prone areas.
National organizations representing home builders, realtors, insurers, and architects echoed that support, emphasizing that mitigation costs far less than post-disaster recovery. Advocates note that every dollar invested in resilience can save as much as $13 in recovery costs. In 2024 alone, the United States experienced 27 weather and climate disasters, each causing more than $1 billion in damages.
For counties like Saguache, the contrast between the two approaches is striking. The WUI code places enforcement and compliance squarely on local governments, while the Shelter Act seeks to reduce risk by offsetting costs for individual property owners. Together, the policies highlight a broader debate over how wildfire resilience should be achieved—and who should bear the cost.
Meanwhile, Saguache County commissioners must decide how to respond to the state mandate. During the December 16 commissioners’ meeting, Commissioner Tom McCracken called for a coordinated response through Colorado Counties Incorporated (CCI), arguing that counties would be stronger presenting a unified front. Commissioner Lynne Thompson said that the county should simply decline to implement the code, having already sent notice to the state reminding officials that unfunded mandates are optional.
The discussion grew tense at times, marked by overlapping interruptions and visible frustration.
Ultimately, commissioners agreed to authorize McCracken to raise the issue with other county leaders through CCI. Counties have until April 1 to either adopt or reject the WUI code.
Questions raised by the WUI Code and the Shelter Act extend beyond wildfire mitigation and disaster preparedness. They challenge the best approach for balancing governance, equity and the limits of unfunded mandates. These issues are now playing out from county commission chambers to the halls of Congress.
Momentary Lapse: Of serendipity, cows and a donkey named Papaya
By Matt Lit Managing Editor
I drove across the valley last week. On deadline and in the midst of producing the January Eagle, I needed a front page photo. I had no idea what but—like love—I’ll know it when I see it. Or is art that I’ll…?
Whichever it is, it’s something like that.
Anyhow, I figured a drive across the valley would yield something. Anything. Cows on X Road? Cows on T Road? Generally, that’s a safe bet.
Zilch on X Road.
I cruised through Saguache and with nothing of note, I figured I’d as least fill my tank. I took T Road home. Surely there must be cows in the road. Zilch on Devine luck.
Now on T Road, heading into Crestone-Baca—without a single new image in my Nikon—I spied a hawk hunting up creatures.
Beggars can’t be choosy so I made that shot happen.
When I left the house earlier in the afternoon I joked to myself, “The photo will be waiting when you get home.” It was a half-joke as I felt it as much as said it to myself.
Coming up Wagon Wheel I gazed east hoping to see the “Baca herd” of elk grazing in late-afternoon light that makes us catch our breath.
And there was my photograph (to be). The elk! And not the elk.
I cut up to Carefree Way near the castle and there, east of the road was the photograph. A woman, her dog and a bonus donkey peacefully gazing at the elk from a distance. And what’s more, of all things, I knew the donkey. It was Papaya, who’d I met while visiting with Bruce Becker.
Shooting from a distance with my telephoto zoom, I framed a moment that (to me, anyhow) transcended just a photo of the elk and became a moment involving the elk.
I had my page 1 photo.
Serendipity.
As a photojournalist I learned to embrace serendipity in my photography. The moment will be right when it’s ready.
Take the cover shot. I mused the outcomes that were possible and narratized it to two. One: I could have waited until the light was “right” to search for a photo. And it’s likely the scene I came upon would not have formed. Or, two: I needed to drive across the valley, fuel my car, choose to come back on T Road, stop to photograph that hawk, then drive the Evac Route for this moment to align.
Serendipity.
It happened for me last October, too. Leaving the No Kings Rally, in Saguache, I was going to drive out Hwy. 285. But didn’t. Instead, I passed back through town. And there, a 1 little gallery on Fourth Street, was a hustle and bustle.
What I stumbled into was a moment made in heaven; a going away party for Saguache’s oldest resident, Delores Whorley, 96. I was able to capture a moment important to the town’s folks and the town’s history.
Serendipity.
It had stepped in front of my camera so often as a photojournalist that I could no longer ignore the dynamic. I even teach my first-year photography students to be on the look out for it. Let serendipity happen, just have your camera ready.
Let’s embrace serendipity in the coming year and recognize it when it’s in front of us.
Like it? Don’t like it? Let me know. Send a letter to editor@crestoneeagle.com.
CEF seeks to sustain workforce
By Tricia Toney
Photo by Michael Keefe
For nearly 30 years, the Crestone Energy Fair (CEF) has relied almost entirely on volunteer labor. What began as a modest showcase of collectively built homes using unconventional materials has grown into a multi-day festival, along with year-round educational programming, requiring dozens of volunteers and a small core group of organizers coordinating logistics.
Those who work year-round to sustain the CEF and promote environmentally conscious living are reaching out to the community for additional support.
Far from its humble beginnings, recent the fairs have included expert panel discussions on topics ranging from permaculture and renewable energy to environmental legislation and ecotourism; hands-on demonstrations of alternative building methods such as hempcrete, cob, and straw bale construction; tours of off-grid homes; musical performances on two stages; wellness workshops and vendors; free yoga classes; supervised childcare; food trucks; and dozens of vendors in Town Park.
In keeping with its ecological mission, the event minimizes single-use plastics, provides recycling and composting stations, and prepares much of the volunteer food in solar-powered ovens.
Core organizers Anya Kaats, Nick Nevares, Justin Weiss, Lisa Bodey and Goldie Mariola say they need more people involved at the organizational level. At times, members of the group work more than 30 hours a week on event business. While ongoing sponsorships allow for small stipends, compensation remains far below minimum wage.
In December, organizers hosted a community discussion at the Crestone Charter School to solicit ideas for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the CEF. Kaats opened the evening with an overview of the documentary Last Stop before Chocolate Mountain, inviting attendees to consider parallels between the film’s themes and challenges facing the Crestone community.
Discussion of the film and subsequent conversation about the potential of monetizing, or otherwise supporting the needs of the energy fair did not reveal any particular “answers” to the existing challenges, but did get participants thinking about the future of the longest-running annual event in Crestone’s history.
Kaats, who also serves on the board of The Crestone Eagle and fundraises for both nonprofits, said that similar fundraising efforts generate “ten times more” revenue for The Eagle than for the CEF.
Chris Ryan noted that the event can be difficult to define. “People know what The Eagle is, and what The Eagle does,” he said. “Energy means so many things,” Bodey added, and explained that the event has expanded over the years to reflect that broad interpretation. Some participants suggested charging admission. Others proposed increasing fees for workshops and home tours.
Peter May brought up the concern of a shrinking audience, saying that the market for alternative construction has waned over the years. “Practically all of the new construction here is stick-built.”
Amelie Warner, executive director at CoSEED, the CEF’s fiscal sponsor, said “if you can figure out what you need most, let me know and I’ll see what I can do.”
According to Kaats, what the organization needs most is a small group of additional core volunteers willing to share year-round responsibilities, with little or no compensation.
After the discussion, attendees helped clean up, stacking chairs and emptying trash, before lingering to chat with neighbors. Regardless of whether any valuable guidance was gained by holding this movie night and group discussion, the organizers of the event provided yet another opportunity for the Crestone-Baca community to gather and discuss one of the long-standing nonprofits that make this area unique. And that kind of gathering is its own kind of energy fair.
SNAP benefit threat hovers into ’26
By Kimberly Black
Stress on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) continued into December after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would begin withholding federal administrative funds from states that refuse to provide five years of personally identifiable information (PII) on SNAP applicants and participants.
As of late December, there had been no confirmed federal action cutting SNAP funds in any state, including Colorado. For Colorado, the threatened administrative funding totals $96 million per year.
The initial demand for data came at the end of July 2025.
The requested information includes Social Security numbers, home addresses and five years of records for millions of Americans. Rollins has said it is needed to “root out fraud.”
Colorado, along with 21 other states and the District of Columbia, filed a lawsuit in federal district court in California arguing the demand violates the Privacy Act and other federal protections.
The court granted a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the data request.
Despite the injunction, the USDA sent a new letter in November 2025 instructing the same states to provide full data sets.
On Dec. 2, 2025 Rollins said the agency would withhold SNAP administrative funds from states that do not comply—what Gina Plata-Nino, director of SNAP at the Food Research and Action Center called “an extraordinary and legally questionable escalation.” The following day, a USDA spokesperson said states must receive a formal warning before administrative funds can be pulled and that no such warning had yet been issued.
States argue the USDA’s demand forces an illegal choice: protect residents’ privacy or risk food assistance for people who depend on SNAP.
They say the agency’s actions violate federal privacy laws, exceed USDA authority and improperly condition funding on compliance.
“The USDA itself has described SNAP as having one of the most rigorous quality control systems in the federal government,” a press release from Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office states. “Those systems do not, and have never, required that states turn over sensitive, personally identifying information about millions of Americans without any meaningful restrictions on how that information is used or shared with other agencies.”
The release says that even one year of SNAP recipient data includes sensitive information on tens of millions of individuals, including nearly 615,000 Coloradans.
Meanwhile, Colorado also joined a separate November lawsuit after the USDA issued guidance cutting SNAP eligibility for some lawful permanent residents who entered the U.S. as refugees or asylum seekers, a move states say violated federal law and the agency’s own grace-period rules.
Both cases remain unresolved in federal court.
Insurance in 2026: Fed bill will result in coverage, rate changes; impacts felt locally
By Jennifer Leonard
Significant changes are coming to Colorado health care insurance plans in 2026. These changes will be hard to absorb for most residents of the San Luis Valley, as large premium increases are seen across all insurance plans. Medicaid, Medicare and plans included under Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s marketplace for Affordable Care Act eligible plans, will be the hardest hit. As stated by the director of Health First Colorado, Kim Bimestefer, “The bill is anticipated to result in the large-scale loss of health insurance coverage for Coloradans and an extraordinary cost shift to our state that Colorado’s state budget cannot absorb.”
A majority of the changes that will start in the upcoming year are due to the implementation of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) signed into law on July 4, 2025. This was a budget reconciliation bill that brought sweeping policy changes to taxation, spending, immigration and social policy, including a $1 trillion reduction in health care funding that will largely impact Medicaid, Medicare and Affordable Care Act coverage over several years.
The cut to state funding from the federal government that comes with the OBBBA leaves roughly a $1 billion gap in the already struggling Colorado state budget. This led Governor Jared Polis to pass two executive orders that have been continued through February 2026. The orders suspend funding to health care, public health and higher education in order to meet the overall funding shortages across other state government programs including housing, roads and public safety. The 2026 Colorado budget will cover less than half of the increase needed to keep Medicaid and Medicare services the same as they are right now. Cutbacks will be seen in reimbursements to providers, dental benefits, home care giving and provider access.
According to Colorado Access, a nonprofit, advocating for health care access and transformation, approximately 1.2 million Coloradans rely on Medicaid for health care plans. In age. Roughly 1 million Coloradans are enrolled in Medicare. More than 300,000 residents rely on the Connect for Health Colorado marketplace to access affordable care. These upcoming changes could result in up to 377,000 people becoming ineligible for plans or unable to access care.
Plans offered through the Connect for Colorado Health Marketplace will be seeing a huge increase in premiums, due to the reduced federal and state funding. Currently the OBBBA allows the Premium Tax Credit to expire, which is how many people currently access Affordable Health Care eligible plans. Current Marketplace customers that receive financial assistance or tax credit will see an “average net premium increase of 100%, with some rural areas seeing increases of over 200%”, according to an analysis by Connect for Health Colorado of current Marketplace Health Care plans. In addition, out-of-pocket limits will also increase with each option. More plans will be offering Health Savings Account (HSA) choices to ease the higher deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses that will be coming with these changes. This effectively allows non-taxable dollars to be used to pay for certain health care expenses including copays and premiums.
The Center for Medicare Advocacy outlines how Medicare and Medicaid care changes in 2026 will include new definitions for who is qualified, more frequent eligibility checks and more strict reporting. New qualifications for eligibility narrows which groups of lawful immigrants could receive benefits, leaving out a large portion of people who were once eligible. (For a full list of these new requirements, see https://medicareadvocacy.org/ impact-of-the-big-bill-on-medicare.) Emergency Medicaid is still available to ineligible immigrants, which provides funding for emergency health care for immigrants who would otherwise qualify for medicaid except for their immigration status. However, federal funding for Emergency Medicaid has been severely cut as well through the OBBBA, leaving the hospitals that are required by law to provide care regardless of immigration status, to cover the gap. The Establishment of the Rural Health Transformation Fund by the federal government is meant to cover some of these new gaps but may ultimately only provide 1/3 of the money that was once received by hospitals in rural areas to carry the burden of treating the under and uninsured.
Medicare will also see changes. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Medicare Part B plans will be increasing this year by 14.5%, the highest increase in 4 years, eating up 30% of the cost of living increase coming to social security payments in 2026. There will also be a ban on any improvements to the Medicare Savings programs, which often help lower income seniors cover out-of-pocket health care costs.
There will be some changes that are meant to offset some of these added financial burdens like lower caps on prescriptions and vaccines but this won’t likely make up for the increased cost for most seniors. In addition, some Medicare supplemental providers like Humana, United Health Care (UHC) and Aetna are reducing their plan options or pulling out of certain markets completely, citing the increase in medical costs as the reason. In an interview with financial reporting agency Kiplinger, UHC CEO of Government Programs Bobby Hunter stated, “The combination of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services funding cuts, rising healthcare costs, and increased utilization have created headwinds that no organization can ignore.” A reduced number of Medicare plans leaves many seniors without reasonable choices for coverage and higher copays, especially in rural areas, like the San Luis Valley where provider access is already challenged. In light of this large change in provider access, seniors can access special open enrollment if they lose their provider access and want to change their coverage.
San Luis Valley insurance broker Jaqueline Mascarenas has been helping local residents navigate open enrollment for years and sees seniors facing hard decisions this year about enrollment. She is particularly concerned about the increase in Medicare Part B premium costs and reduced access here in the Valley.
“The Part B Premium goes up every year, we are looking at $202.90 for 2026. In addition the community is faced with enrolling in a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan with little or no monthly premium but being subject to Out of Network and out of pocket expenses with no access to SLV Health Providers expenses. the other option is switching to a Supplement Plan which will cost $100 or more in monthly premium but have very little out of pocket expense, no out of Network expense and continued access to SLV Health Providers. This is a hard decision for many retirees on fixed incomes.”
Mascarenas, passionate about advocating for her clients, continued, “There has to be reform on healthcare, point blank, period. My hope is that the ACA is extended for three years which would provide plenty of time for officials to get started on a healthcare system that is in favor of the people and not revenue based. We need to put patient care first.”