Top Stories

Yuletide celebrations kick off in South Fork on Nov. 29

The annual Yuletide celebration and tree lighting in South Fork will begin with the Winterfest Market at the Rio Grande Club and Resort on Saturday, Nov. 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. After the market closes for the day people can head over to the South Fork Visitor Center to enjoy a night of lights, Santa, fun, food and more. 
SOUTH FORK – With the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner, South Fork is gearing up for its annual Yuletide celebration that will kick off Saturday, Nov. 30, at dusk. As the sun sinks low behind the San Juans, South Fork will flip the switch from fall to winter as they light up their town center with colorful lights, fun displays and a visit from Santa and his elves.  
Community
Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center will host an artisan’s market on Saturday, Dec. 14.

Artisan's Winter Market at Fort Garland

FORT GARLAND — Join the Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center staff for the Artisan's Winter Market on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Shop for unique holiday gifts created by local artisans and crafters, and enjoy a day filled with musical entertainment, prizes, and delicious food. Doors open at 11 a.m., with parking and entrance at the front of the museum. 
The 2024-2025 ski season marks Wolf Creek Ski Area’s 85th anniversary, which will be celebrated with fun, festive events throughout the season. 

Wolf Creek Ski Area plans to celebrate 85th season

WOLF CREEK – Wolf Creek Ski Area is thrilled to celebrate its 85th anniversary with special happenings throughout the 2024-25 season. Fun activities will offer skiers and snowboarders a variety of prizes along with swag giveaways. Every event will have a free sticker for participants to collect.
Creede Repertory Theatre (CRT) Artistic Director Emily Van Fleet 

CRT artistic director gives insight to coming 60th season

CREEDE – Creede Repertory Theatre (CRT) Artistic Director Emily Van Fleet sat down with the Mineral County Miner to talk about the coming 60th season at the small-town theatre and is excited to bring a new twist to the productions audiences have come to love time and again. 
Read our E-edition

South Fork Visitor Center Facebook page
News

Gratitude and community at Thanksgiving celebration

CRESTONE — Over the past two decades, the Crestone/Baca Grande communities have come together for an annual Crestone Community Thanksgiving celebration potluck. This tradition is a testament to shared values of gratitude, community, camaraderie and unity at the event. 

Richmond: Blessed, grateful and amazed

ALAMOSA — Don Richmond is taking the stage at Society Hall Saturday night for a solo performance. In recent years, this has become an unusual thing for Richmond to do, given the number of performances he has booked and his other interests.  

Dangerous avalanche, road conditions predicted Thanksgiving week

COLORADO — Residents of the San Luis Valley who are traveling over the Thanksgiving week for outdoor activities should pay close attention to avalanche and road conditions.  

Conejos County Courthouse remains closed

CONEJOS — Due to a fire in the Conejos County Courthouse on Aug. 29, the courthouse remains closed until further notice. Most offices are open in the Department of Social Services building nearby. There were no injuries related to the fire. 

Forest Service cuts may impact visitor services

WASHINGTON D.C. — Due to a looming budget cut, the US Forest Service will not hire about 2,400 seasonal jobs nationally for the next fiscal year, leaving them out of work and putting essential recreation and conservation work at risk. 
Opinion
The cold early winter day dawned a few hours ago and I find myself still at the kitchen table sipping coffee and scrolling through Facebook. With my rear end finally getting numb enough to force a move, I slowly rise from the chair, finally ready to start the day's first task. Dressed in my light winter gear I jump in the pick-up and drive the short quarter mile to the local Christmas tree lot and park off to the side. The fenced area houses 50 or so trees lying on the ground, wrapped tightly in nets just waiting to snap open and display their true beauty. The lucky ones have already been placed in a metal stand and confidently stretch their limbs to show just how many ornaments they can hold. I select the best one I can find and only minutes after arrival, I jump back in the truck and... 
President Donald Trump’s first term was a disaster for America’s public lands. While the prospects for his second term are even more bleak, Westerners across the political spectrum — even those who voted for Trump — stand ready to oppose attempts to sell off America’s public lands to the highest bidder. 
Classifieds

Classifieds for week of Nov. 20, 2024

01 Tickets    02 Card of Thanks   03 Memorials   04 Lost & Found   05 Notices   For information on meetings for ALANON NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS …

Obituaries
Meledy Story
"It's M-E-L-E-D-Y, because my parents just had to be different." Perhaps Jack and Helen knew exactly what they were doing when they named their youngest child, as her sweet southern drawl was musical even when she was angry (which wasn't often). I could give you all the ordinary details of Meledy's life- where she was born, graduated high school, worked, etc. but I am not sure this captures her extraordinary nature. It also feels too final, like there is only a beginning and an end instead of a song that continues to live in everything she loved. Instead, I would like to tell you where I believe you will still find her. 
Martha Jane (Morley) Sales
Martha passed at the River Valley Rehabilitation Care Center in Del Norte, Colo., where she had resided since March 2019. There she developed many close/loving relationships. She was 73 years old when she went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She loved her Jesus! She fought a long, hard battle against diabetes and dementia.  
Doris Almeda Golden
Doris Almeda Golden, 89, passed away peacefully with her loving family at her side in the Rock Creek Rehabilitation Healthcare Center in Monte Vista, Colo. Born Feb. 2, 1935, at home in Milburn, Neb., to Clarence Herman and Lydia Almeda (Petet) Dye. 
Nancy Ruby Warren
Nancy Ruby Warren, 80, died Oct. 22, 2024, peacefully in her sleep at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction. Nancy was currently living with her daughter Brenda and son in law Randy in Battlement Mesa. Born Jan. 27, 1944, in Pilar, N.M., she was the daughter of the late Jose and Adonilia Suazo.
Nicholas B. Lenzini 
Nicholas B. Lenzini, a devoted husband, loving father, and successful business owner, passed away peacefully from natural causes on Oct. 26, 2024, at his home in Creede, Colo. Born in Walsenburg, Colo., on Sept. 3, 1949, Nicholas led a fulfilling life with his wife in the home they built in the mountains he loved. 
Sports

Five Moose, three Falcons named All-IML volleyball

ALAMOSA – The All-Intermountain League volleyball team was released earlier this month with eight players from the San Luis Valley being honored. Five of the locals are from Alamosa and it …
FOOTBALL CLASS 2A INTERMOUNTAIN LEAGUE League Overall Team W-L W-L Montezuma-Cortez 4-1 7-3 Alamosa 4-1 6-4 Gunnison 3-2 3-6 Pagosa Springs 2-3 5-5 Bayfield …
ALAMOSA – The Adams State University men’s basketball team stopped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday with a 97-88 win over Northern New Mexico College at the Plachy Hall gym. …
NEW ORLEANS – Adams State cross country head coach Damon Martin was named the 2024 NCAA Division II National Women’s Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country …