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Rio Grande Hospital earns 2024 Performance Leadership Award

Rio Grande Hospital received a 2024 Performance Leadership Award for its work updating its facilities as a rural hospital in Colorado.
DEL NORTE – As part of National Rural Health Day, Rio Grande Hospital recently announced it had earned a 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in quality and patient perspective. 
Community

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. 

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.

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. 

Ribbon cutting held for Drift Away Coffee

MONTE VISTA – The Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce and the OptiMystics Citizens Action Network hosted a ribbon cutting at 1000 Grande Ave. for Drift Away Coffee. 
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Valley News
Several hundred people attended the annual Thanksgiving feast held at the Crestone Charter School. 
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. 
Don Richmond’s solo performance in celebration of and homage to his 70th birthday is Saturday, Nov. 30 at Society Hall.  
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.  
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center urges outdoor enthusiasts to check the website: Colorado.gov/avalanche for current avalanche conditions.  
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.  
The Conejos County Courthouse experienced a fire on Aug. 29 and will remain closed for about a year as the county works with their insurance providers and makes necessary repairs. 
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. 
U.S. Forest Chief Randy Moore announced last month the agency will not hire seasonal jobs (firefighting excluded) in 2025. As shown in this photo, almost all of those positions are field work.  
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. 
Sports

29 local wrestlers in On the Mat rankings

ALAMOSA – Tim Yount released his preseason On the Mat high school wrestling rankings on Monday with 29 grapplers from the San Luis Valley being recognized. Class 3A Both of the …

10 Mean Moose football players named All-League

ALAMOSA – The Intermountain League released its All-League football team in mid-November with 10 players from Alamosa High School being recognized. Half of the players are on the first …

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 …

Final 2024 high school fall sports standings

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 …
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. 
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. 
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Ultimate gift guide to spark endless creativity in kids
(BPT) - The best holiday gifts keep kids engaged and creatively entertained for hours. So, if you're looking for exciting new gifts to spark the imagination of the kids in your life, check out the …
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(BPT) - As the holiday season approaches, it's important to remember that it often comes with a heightened risk for respiratory viruses like COVID-19.1 Data from the past four years suggest COVID-19 …
42% of Americans are willing to pay more to support small businesses
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(BPT) - The fall semester is wrapping up, which means your student will soon be coming home for winter break.During this time, they’ll leave plenty of important items in their dorm, like a …
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Dr. Linda Carpenter, M.D., models the Relivion, a take-home device for treatment at her office at Butler Hospital.
How to heal the pathology of brain circuitry with a wearable, take-home device to treat depression
At Butler Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, Dr. Linda Carpenter, M.D., talks about the successful completion of clinical trials she led for a wearable, take-home device to treat depression.
6 tips for safe travels this holiday season
(BPT) - Traveling for the holidays? Whether you're having a Friendsgiving with pals or going to grandma's house for Christmas, Kwanzaa or Hanukkah, you'll find the roads jam packed. According to a …