Transmission line outreach meeting
Xcel Energy takes its public outreach on its planned new Alamosa-to-Antonito transmission line project to La Jara Thursday afternoon. Xcel has been hosting virtual and in-person meetings this week to explain the project and hear community input. The La Jara meeting is scheduled for 4-7 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus #5512, 521 Spruce St.
Xcel Energy is proposing to replace the 60-year-old Alamosa to Antonito 69-kilovolt (kV) transmission line in the San Luis Valley to increase electric reliability and reduce potential safety risks associated with aging poles and equipment.
The 39-mile line is critical to providing reliable service to customers and cannot be taken out of service to be replaced. For that reason, Xcel needs to build a new power line in the area, either in a new corridor adjacent to the existing line or in a separate corridor near the current location. Xcel Energy is currently studying preliminary route options to relocate the existing line.
Concert for Cancer Relief is Saturday
The 9th annual Concert for Cancer Relief featuring Eliza Gilkyson, Don Richmond and Tish Hinojosa, is Saturday at Society Hall in Alamosa. The benefit concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., with all profits to the cancer patients in the San Luis Valley.
Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at slvcrf.org or at Green Spot in Alamosa.
Alamosa kicks off mass rezoning process
with public workshop
The city of Alamosa is hosting a public workshop on Tuesday, March 15, at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 300 Hunt Ave., to kick off its mass rezoning process. Maps will be on display and staff will be available to walk through proposed zoning changes, describe how they compare with current zoning, and explain what the changes will mean for residents and property owners in the City of Alamosa.
The proposed rezoning is explained in detail in our earlier story.
SLV Health Regional Medical Center
expands art collection
Konnie and Damon Martin have purchased Artbitrium, a mosaic piece created by artist Kasia Polkowska, from the 2020-2021 Alamosa ArtScape the Alamosa and donated it to the San Luis Valley Health Regional Medical Center for public display.
The Martins are returning buyers from the Alamosa ArtScape public art program. In 2018, they purchased the sculpture Running Girl created by Harold Linke. This was the first year for Alamosa ArtScape and one of the first art pieces to ever be purchased from the program. They donated the piece of artwork to the San Luis Valley Health Regional Medical Center, where it has a permanent home next to the cancer treatment center built in 2018.
In 2019, the Martins purchased the piece Sandhill Cranes created by James Cable; it has a permanent home at the intersection of Blanca Avenue and Second Street on the RMC campus.
Their most recent piece purchase, Artbitrium, is in the shape of a multi-coloredmmoth. “The moth demonstrates pure determination, always searching out light in darkness,” according to artist Polkowska. This piece is located next to the southern entrance of the hospital on the corner of the Second Street parking lots.
Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant board
opens applications for funding
The Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Board is accepting applications through April 8 to fund programs that bring about transformative change throughout communities. These grants are designed to widen accessibility to the outdoors for Coloradans from underserved communities and provide environmental, experiential, outdoor, stewardship and conservation education for Colorado youth or families, and that address inequities Coloradans face in accessing the outdoors.
The board, created by the passage of House Bill 21-1318, is composed of members representing communities that have faced barriers to accessing Colorado’s outdoors.
Programs or projects should strive to be culturally responsive and should raise awareness of and/or seek to address the root cause of the disparities Colorado youth experience while trying to access the outdoors, whether youth are from an urban or rural community.
Eligible applicants are non-profit organizations, tribes, schools, governments and for-profit businesses. Maximum grant request is $250,000; $550,000 will be awarded this grant cycle. Application deadline is April 8.
Applicants can submit their Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Application here.