Get ready for the reconstruction
of State Avenue in Alamosa
If you’re on the south side of Alamosa, get ready for a year of road construction along State Avenue. Starting Thursday, State Avenue will be closed between Seventh and Eighth streets so Xcel Energy crews can relocate a natural gas line ahead of the upcoming reconstruction of State Avenue.
The city then plans to begin the reconstruction of State Avenue on March 1, if weather permits. If not March 1, soon after the city will push ahead with a complete replacement of underground utilities, reconstructing the road itself, and widening sidewalks.
Alamosa Public Works Director Harry Reynolds joined The Valley Pod, a podcast by AlamosaCitizen.com, on Tuesday to talk about the State Avenue reconstruction. The episode will be published later this week. Take a listen to learn more details about the State Avenue reconstruction.
Alamosa concrete replacement program
The city of Alamosa Public Works Department is accepting applications for its 2022 Concrete Replacement Program through May 6, 2022. The program is intended to assist home and business owners within the city of Alamosa in replacing curb, gutter and sidewalk in order to improve pedestrian safety and correct drainage problems.
This is a cost shared program in which the City and the property owner share the cost of the contractor 50-50. Old concrete will be removed by the City at no cost to the property owners. The amount of City funds available for this program is limited. Requests will be honored on a first come, first served basis.
To participate in this program go to www.cityofalamosa.org and click on the Public Works Department tab and on the right side, click “Concrete Replacement Program.” Return the completed form to the Public Works Office, 300 Hunt Avenue, or email it to mvanry@ci.alamosa.co.us. Please call 719-589-6631 if you have questions.
Adams State production “French Pig” opens Wednesday
Adams State University Theatre with the School of Visual and Performing Arts presents an inventive, funny, and thought-provoking play, “French Pig,” written by David Jacobi and directed by Rebecca Schmitt.
As the plot goes, in Medieval Europe, criminal trials weren’t just for humans. Animal “criminals” were also put before a judge and jury. After her lover is killed by their pig, a peasant farmer wades through the miry bureaucracy of the 15th century criminal justice system in order to get her pig back. French Pig is Sarte meets Lecoq Mime meets “My Cousin Vinny.” It’s a play about mourning, existential pigs, hiding in plain sight, and the eternal struggle to give meaning to/prove the pointlessness of tragic events.
Public performances of “French Pig” run at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23 through Feb. 26, in the
Xperimental Theatre. Tickets are $9 for general admission, $8 for seniors and students, and free to Associated Students and Faculty with current Adams State identification. Due to language, the production is recommended for mature audiences. All audience members are required to wear masks while inside of the Theatre Building. The box office number is 719-587-8499.
New storm brings increased avalanche danger
Heavy snow and heavier winds will increase avalanche danger throughout the state. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has increased the status of the Avalanche Warning to “High.” This means that backcountry travel, or travel in any kind of avalanche terrain, is not advisable, and that large, natural avalanches can be triggered very easily.
Every mountain range other than the Sangre de Cristo Range is under an avalanche watch until Thursday evening. The North and South San Juan mountain ranges are expected to receive 15-24 inches of snow over the next two days, with winds peaking at around 30 miles per hour.
If you plan on doing any backcountry travel, be sure to Know Before You Go. For more information on the avalanche conditions in the state’s mountains, follow the link here.
Conejos Peak Ranger District announces
draft decision for Trail Gulch project
LA JARA – The Conejos Peak Ranger District of the Rio Grande National Forest announced Tuesday the availability of the draft decision notice and environmental assessment for the Trail Gulch Vegetation Management Project. This action marks the start of a 45-day pre-decisional objection period during which those who have been engaged in the planning process of this project have the opportunity to submit objections to the draft decision.
The proposed action includes a mix of vegetation treatment strategies including hand and mechanical thinning, pile and broadcast prescribed burning, and timber harvesting. Implementation is expected to begin as soon as possible. The actions are designed to improve overall forest health and return fire as a landscape scale management tool.
Electronic objections are preferred and must be submitted to the Objection Reviewing Officer online at US Forest Service NEPA Projects Home (usda.gov), with “Trail Gulch Vegetation Management Project Objection” in the subject line. Electronic submissions must be submitted in a format that is readable with optical character recognition software (e.g., Word, PDF, Rich Text) and be searchable. An automated response should confirm your electronic objection has been received.
Objections can be faxed to the Objection Reviewing Officer at 713-852-6250. The fax cover sheet must include a subject line with “OBJECTION: Trail Gulch Vegetation Management Project” and should specify the number of pages being submitted.
Written objections may be submitted via regular mail to: Rio Grande National Forest, 1803 W. Highway 160, Monte Vista, CO 81144. Objections sent by private carrier or hand delivery must be addressed to: Objection Reviewing Officer, Rio Grande National Forest, Attn: Reviewing Officer, 1803 W. Highway 160, Monte Vista, CO 81144.
To view information on the Trail Gulch Project, visit the official project webpage at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=60258. Another informational webpage on the project is found here: http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/riogrande/trailgulch. You may also call the Conejos Peak Ranger District office at 719-657-3321.
