Watch for afternoon winds in the early part of the week, but otherwise sunshine in the 50s. Snowpack at Medano Creek has been measuring 74 percent of average in February. Here’s more for the week In Memoriam of Esther Marie Lopez.
1. The 8-foot fence around Cielo Vista Ranch
No one with La Sierra Environmental Guardian Committee thinks William Harrison doesn’t have the right to put up fencing on his 83,000-acre Cielo Vista Ranch. Their worry is the type and height of fencing going up and how it’s disrupting the natural migration patterns of wildlife, pushing down sediment from the foothills into the creeks and county roads at the lower elevations, and fencing in porcupines and racoons, among other damage to the surrounding ecosystem. We wanted to get eyeballs on the fence because a first-hand look is always best, and so we took a tour last Friday with Frank Vigil, Joseph Quintana and Eli Rael. They are members of La Sierra Environmental Guardian Committee, the community group challenging the high fence. Until a District Court judge put a temporary injunction in place, the fence stands at 8 feet, with wire grid at the bottom making it difficult for anything to squeeze through, and a strand of barbed wire across the top to deter anything or anyone trying to cross over. It’s completed in various sections of good length, with Harrison’s effort to complete the fence throughout the sprawling natural wonder, and across the 20 miles of Sangre de Cristo ridgeline that includes 14,000-foot Culebra Peak and stretches to the New Mexico state line. The questions are why and at what damage to the natural ecosystem. Locals continue to have access for firewood and limited grazing per the Colorado Supreme Court. Harrison’s representatives say the fence is to keep 60 or so buffalo he owns from roaming beyond the private ranch. The ranch also does offer the “finest elk hunting” around. The next move is Cielo Vista’s. The Costilla County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on March 19 to consider Cielo Vista’s appeal of the county’s “notices of violations” to Cielo Vista’s construction of the “high fence.” It’s all part of Costilla County’s efforts to address the latest land use matter on the storied lands. Stay tuned.
2. Alamosa County’s dilemma on a downtown hotel
It doesn’t look like there is much that Alamosa County can offer hotel developer Mani Patel in the way of county tax incentives to assist in the construction of a hotel in Downtown Alamosa. Commissioners were presented with options by County Administrator Roni Wisdom during a work session last week. “We are statutorily constrained as to what we really can do,” Wisdom said, adding that Alamosa County will continue to look at Patel’s request for an incentive package. Wisdom said Alamosa County can offer a business property tax abatement, but that would only net Patel around $4,900 annually if he were to build a Hyatt Place, the highest-end hotel he’s considering. Patel had previously told the county commissioners he would need a tax incentive package worth $1 million to get that development done. He’s also considering a Springhill Suites or a Candlewood Suites. “Nothing has been decided and we are still looking at our options,” Wisdom said.
3. March presidential primary
You should have March presidential primary ballots in your home. Or if not, the ballot should be in the mail. Part of our 2024 election year effort will be to publish election information in Spanish through a new podcast, Voto SLV. Watch for it to launch later this week. Here’s the rest of the 2024 Election calendar. After the March 5 Colorado Presidential Primary are the county caucuses and county assemblies.
- March 5: Colorado Presidential Primary
- March 5-9: Republican Party and Democratic Party Precinct Caucus Days in Colorado
- June 25: Primary Election state and local races.
- Nov. 5: General Election
- Every registered voter receives a mail ballot; polls also open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
4. East Alamosa housing
We wrote over the weekend about the new Horizon Heights housing that is under construction off Airport Road in Alamosa. Here’s a video recap of the project that is set to open in the spring. Our note here is that there is more housing in the works and under construction, including this private development on McKinney Avenue across from Rio Grande Farm Park in East Alamosa. This one is a 32-unit development by private developer Louis Lukondi. He helped with the March 2021 SLV Housing Assessment and now has a new project that will help meet the housing demand in the San Luis Valley.
5. Adams State and campus infill housing
Adams State is also looking to add to the housing mix. The university is in early discussions with the city of Alamosa about the idea of creating housing on lots it owns around campus. Duane Bussey, chair of the Adams State Board of Trustees, talks about it in this episode of The Valley Pod. We cover a lot of ground with Mr. Adams State. Listen in.
6. From The Sports Page
Sanford High’s Cash Caldon surpassed 1,000 points in his high school career during the Mustangs’ run to a district championship over the weekend. Congratulations to Caldon for reaching the milestone. He leads Sanford into Class 2A regional tournament play this weekend, which is followed by the Colorado High School State Basketball tournament.
Adams State’s Gracie Hyde continues to set high expectations going into the NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 8-9. Over the weekend she ran 4 minutes, 30.90 seconds to set the NCAA DII all-time mile record. Earlier this indoor season she smashed the NCAA DII 3,000-meter record, running 8:58.33. Adams State will be among the team favorites at the NCAA DII Indoor Championships.
7. First Fridays in March
A Taste of Alamosa is the theme for the First Friday’s March celebration by Visit Alamosa. It kicks off Alamosa Restaurant Week which runs from March 1-10. The Valley Calendar keeps you up-to-date on upcoming events throughout the San Luis Valley.