IT’S the last full week of summer break for most of the Valley’s families as kids head back to school the week of Aug. 22. In case you missed it, here’s a look at the Seven Peaks Festival scheduled for the Labor Day Weekend near Villa Grove. And some other new items to get the week started:
Martinez told The Citizen to expect other appointments to the search committee to ensure representation from every corner. The Adams State Board of Trustees will make the final call.
2. Eyes on Douglas County
We’ll never take our eyes off Douglas County and Renewable Water Resources, and here’s an example of why. On Wednesday, Aug. 24, Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon (left) will lean on former Gov. Bill Owens (center) to help with Laydon’s re-election bid in November. Owens is the “Special Guest” at a Laydon fundraiser in Lone Tree. Helping put the fundraiser together is The Fulcrum Group and its principal, Sean Tonner (right). Tonner and Owens are the drivers of RWR and its effort to pump water out of the San Luis Valley aquifers. Like we said, we’ll never stop watching Tonner, Owens, RWR, Abe Laydon and his fellow county commissioner, George Teal. And if you think RWR and Douglas County are done working with each other to pump water from the San Luis Valley, we’ve got some other manure we’d like to sell you.
3. Next up on the Alamosa city roads makeover
Things are going pretty smoothly for the city of Alamosa and its year-long State Avenue rebuild project (shown above), Public Works Director Harry Reynolds told us. He expects to wrap up the State Avenue work around the end of September, and then it’s on to Victoria Avenue in 2023 starting at First Street, and then Washington Avenue into 2024. “We’ll be in and out of State Avenue in one year,” said Reynolds as the city makes progress on its Streets Trust Fund list.
4. ‘Making videos on TikTok’ and the Monte Vista juvenile death
The investigation by Monte Vista police into the shooting death of one girl, which led to the arrest of three others, showed the girls were “handling the gun and making videos on ‘TikTok,’” according to the investigation report filed in court by the 12th Judicial District Attorney’s office. The gun, according to the court filing, was a Glock 19-9mm owned by Emiliano Vargas, who had legally purchased the firearm. Vargas, 21, was arrested and faces charges related to Secure Firearm Storage Requirement under Colorado law and unlawfully providing or permitting a juvenile to possess a handgun.
The two girls who were with the deceased were arrested for reckless manslaughter. “The three were just hanging out watching T.V. and laying around … and were making TikTok videos.”
5. The Grizzlies’ preseason football camp
Coach Jarrell Harrison is in his second year as head coach of Adams State football. He said he feels more comfortable because he has a coaching staff intact and ready to go, which wasn’t the case when he first got the job. He also has key returners on the all-important offensive line and defensive line. Here’s the coach last Saturday after the Grizzlies completed their initial days of practice.
6. Coming this weekend
The SUDS for SAR Block Party, a fundraiser for Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue, is Saturday from 3-10 p.m. Back in June, The Citizen’s Madeleine Ahlborn, who is part of the volunteer team, took us to the Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue’s annual rope rigging training at Lake Como with this wonderful story. It’s a great inside look at this dedicated team of volunteers and the skilled services they provide to the San Luis Valley and south-central Colorado. We hope you’ll make it Saturday to support their work. The event is on the block of San Juan and Main Street in Downtown Alamosa.
TOP PHOTO: Day breaks at Higel State Wildlife Area. An outtake from our Day in the Life of the San Luis Valley photo essay.