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Logger Days in South Fork hits the mark

South Fork Logger Days events like the adult ax throwing competition to the two-man crosscut brought people to the area for a weekend full of fun.
SOUTH FORK – Cheers from spectators mingled with the rip-roaring sound of chainsaws on Saturday, July 20, as the 30th Annual Logger Days Festival kicked off in South Fork.
Community
The parking lot and area outside of the South Fork Visitor Center was hopping with shoppers on July 17 for the South Fork Friends Foundation’s third annual Arts and Crafts Fair.

SFFF hosts successful Arts and Crafts Fair

SOUTH FORK – The parking lot and lawn outside of the South Fork Visitor Center was lined with vendor booths throughout the day on July 17 for the third annual South Fork Friends Foundation’s Arts and Craft Fair.
Snowshoe Shuffle participants ready for the start of the 5K run and walk.

Bristol Head Bakery presents 39th Annual Snowshoe Shuffle on Aug. 3

CREEDE – Join in the fun and support Mineral County Search and Rescue. The 39th annual Snowshoe Shuffle 5K run and walk will be held at 9 a.m. on Aug. 3.
The annual Creede Rock and Mineral Show is ready to rock Creede the first week in August. This show is expected to have more than 40 vendors.

Creede Rock and Mineral Show set for first weekend in August

CREEDE – Rockhounds from around the globe will be venturing to Creede next weekend for the annual Creede Rock and Mineral Show on Aug. 2-4.
Two pieces of Del Norte's history were brought to the Rio Grande County Museum from the Del Norte Public Library for preservation. The Fremont Monument and the 150-year-old Del Norte Flouring Company original grist wheels are now on display.

Local monuments from Del Norte Public Library find new home at museum

DEL NORTE – With the Downtown Revitalization Project getting underway in Del Norte, the Rio Grande County Museum and Del Norte Public Library partnered on another project and saved two cherished monuments that would have been without a home.
Covered Wagon Days in Del Norte are only a few weeks away.

Covered Wagon Days set for Aug. 1-4

DEL NORTE – As this busy summer begins to slide toward fall in the Valley, Del Norte is gearing up for its annual Covered Wagon Days and the four-day event is set to be a grand time for all.
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Opinion
The goal of the Wilderness Act, now celebrating its 60th birthday, was to set aside a small proportion of public land in America from human intrusion. Some places, the founders said, deserved to be free from motorized, mechanized and other intrusions to protect wildlife and wild lands.
All during the time I was growing up and continuing into adulthood, I’ve enjoyed reading a newspaper. Even in High School I would spend my lunch hour reading two of the larger papers in the state instead of eating lunch.
News
Stacy Kourlis Guillon

Stacy Kourlis Guillon named new president of CCALT

LAKEWOOD – The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, a statewide nonprofit, conservation service organization, has elected Stacy Kourlis Guillon to become its seventh president. Guillon started her term on July 1. CCALT opened a new regional office in Del Norte in November of 2023.

Town of Center seeks developer interest in North 90 parcel

CENTER – The Town of Center is inviting qualified developers to express interest in developing attainable-workforce housing on the town-owned North 90 parcel, according to a press release from Colorado Downtown Inc.
Cora Martinez poses for a photo with her family during a benefit luncheon in Center on July 20.

Community supports benefit lunch for Martinez

CENTER – On Saturday, July 20, a beautiful benefit lunch was held to help Cora Martinez with her medical and transport costs. Martinez was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma Cancer.
Obituaries
Lonnie Torrez
Lonnie Torrez
CENTER – The effervescent spirit of Lonnie Torrez, a man whose laughter echoed louder than any karaoke track, has taken his final bow on the stage of life, leaving behind a legacy of joy and selflessness. Lonnie, born under the Colorado skies of Monte Vista on Dec. 29, 1963, closed his eyes in the comforting embrace of his hometown, Center, Colo., on his 60th birthday, Dec. 29, 2023.
Shirley Ann Shuler
Shirley Ricketts
Shirley Ann Shuler was born to Mabel Clare McKinley Shuler and Covert Preston Shuler in Springfield Colo., baby sister to Betty Jayne and Patricia Louise. In 1935, the family settled in Del Norte, …
Angelina Ortega
This obituary is in the loving memory of our mother. She died at the golden age of not quite 88 years old.
(Harriet) Lynn Knight-Montaño
(Harriet) Lynn Knight-Montaño
(Harriet) Lynn Knight-Montaño passed away peacefully on the morning of June 22, 2024, in Crestview, Fla., at the age of 83.  Born May 3, 1941, in Frankton, Ind., she was one of nine children to Helen (Soots) and Woodrow Knight.
Larry Eugene Carpenter
Larry Eugene Carpenter
Larry Eugene Carpenter, a longtime Valley resident, passed away in Alamosa, Colo., on July 4, 2024, surrounded by his family. He was born on May 22, 1941, in Center, Colo., to LT and Alice …
Sports
Former Adams State University Track & Field Sprinter Ian Kerr is set to compete in his first Olympic Games at the 2024 Paris Olympics, representing the Bahamas in athletics (track & field). …
MANASSA– An all-time high of 535 participants registered for the annual Manassa Pioneer Days 5k walk-run with a second record of 476 recorded as finishers Saturday in the 47-year history of the …

Extreme heat, wildfires and weather events: Prepare for the unexpected this summer, inside and outside the home

(BPT) - Wildfires and extreme weather conditions have brought greater attention to poor air quality, and while some areas may be more affected than others, air quality and pollution are still a major …

Standout college athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics

BestColleges highlights several of the standout student-athletes who qualified to compete for Team USA at this year's Summer Olympics in Paris.