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Covered Wagon Days set for Aug. 1-4

Covered Wagon Days in Del Norte are only a few weeks away.
DEL NORTE – As this busy summer begins to slide toward fall in the Valley, Del Norte is gearing up for its annual Covered Wagon Days and the four-day event is set to be a grand time for all.
Community

SFFF hosts successful Arts and Crafts Fair

SOUTH FORK – The parking lot and lawn outside of the South Fork Visitor Center was lined with vendor booths throughout the day on July 17 for the third annual South Fork Friends Foundation’s Arts and Craft Fair.

Logger Days in South Fork hits the mark

SOUTH FORK – Cheers from spectators mingled with the rip-roaring sound of chainsaws on Saturday, July 20, as the 30th Annual Logger Days Festival kicked off in South Fork.

Bristol Head Bakery presents 39th Annual Snowshoe Shuffle on Aug. 3

CREEDE – Join in the fun and support Mineral County Search and Rescue. The 39th annual Snowshoe Shuffle 5K run and walk will be held at 9 a.m. on Aug. 3.
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Valley News
Stacy Kourlis Guillon
Stacy Kourlis Guillon named new president of CCALT
LAKEWOOD – The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, a statewide nonprofit, conservation service organization, has elected Stacy Kourlis Guillon to become its seventh president. Guillon started her term on July 1. CCALT opened a new regional office in Del Norte in November of 2023.
Town of Center seeks developer interest in North 90 parcel
CENTER – The Town of Center is inviting qualified developers to express interest in developing attainable-workforce housing on the town-owned North 90 parcel, according to a press release from Colorado Downtown Inc.
Cora Martinez poses for a photo with her family during a benefit luncheon in Center on July 20.
Community supports benefit lunch for Martinez
CENTER – On Saturday, July 20, a beautiful benefit lunch was held to help Cora Martinez with her medical and transport costs. Martinez was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma Cancer.
Students in the Explorer Program are learning how to use the tools necessary to cut the roof from a car, all part of their extrication training they received in the program started by the Alamosa Fire Department this year. Eight students were selected, and all completed the program.
Explorer Program opens a new world
ALAMOSA — There have always been kids who wanted to be a “fireman,” at some point in their lives, and Aiden Clark was no different. Clark, who just graduated from the eighth grade at Ortega Middle School, has always wanted to be a firefighter. But, for a lot of students at Ortega Middle School and other schools where students may come from homes with economic challenges, learning what’s involved in being a firefighter while still at a young age is pretty much out of reach.
City and County Denver District Judge Andrew J. Luxen put on hold the proposed merger between Kroger supermarkets and Albertsons, the owner of the Safeway brand. Shown is the Safeway store in Monte Vista.
Judge temporarily halts supermarket merger
DENVER — Denver District Judge Andrew J. Luxen temporarily halted the proposed supermarket merger between Kroger and Albertsons, the parent company of Safeway on Thursday. Two years ago, …
Sports
REC/Deuces was the 2024 men's softball league champions.

Parks and Rec men’s softball league champion and runner-up

Parks and Rec men’s softball league champion and runner-up.
Opinion
The goal of the Wilderness Act, now celebrating its 60th birthday, was to set aside a small proportion of public land in America from human intrusion. Some places, the founders said, deserved to be free from motorized, mechanized and other intrusions to protect wildlife and wild lands.
All during the time I was growing up and continuing into adulthood, I’ve enjoyed reading a newspaper. Even in High School I would spend my lunch hour reading two of the larger papers in the state instead of eating lunch.
It's hard to believe but the summer is half over for most of us, and more so, I guess, for those who have kids in school.
Obituaries
Lonnie Torrez
Lonnie Torrez
CENTER – The effervescent spirit of Lonnie Torrez, a man whose laughter echoed louder than any karaoke track, has taken his final bow on the stage of life, leaving behind a legacy of joy and selflessness. Lonnie, born under the Colorado skies of Monte Vista on Dec. 29, 1963, closed his eyes in the comforting embrace of his hometown, Center, Colo., on his 60th birthday, Dec. 29, 2023.
Shirley Ann Shuler
Shirley Ricketts
Shirley Ann Shuler was born to Mabel Clare McKinley Shuler and Covert Preston Shuler in Springfield Colo., baby sister to Betty Jayne and Patricia Louise. In 1935, the family settled in Del Norte, …
Angelina Ortega
This obituary is in the loving memory of our mother. She died at the golden age of not quite 88 years old.
(Harriet) Lynn Knight-Montaño
(Harriet) Lynn Knight-Montaño
(Harriet) Lynn Knight-Montaño passed away peacefully on the morning of June 22, 2024, in Crestview, Fla., at the age of 83.  Born May 3, 1941, in Frankton, Ind., she was one of nine children to Helen (Soots) and Woodrow Knight.
Larry Eugene Carpenter
Larry Eugene Carpenter
Larry Eugene Carpenter, a longtime Valley resident, passed away in Alamosa, Colo., on July 4, 2024, surrounded by his family. He was born on May 22, 1941, in Center, Colo., to LT and Alice …
Web Extra Content
Extreme heat, wildfires and weather events: Prepare for the unexpected this summer, inside and outside the home
(BPT) - Wildfires and extreme weather conditions have brought greater attention to poor air quality, and while some areas may be more affected than others, air quality and pollution are still a major …
Standout college athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics
BestColleges highlights several of the standout student-athletes who qualified to compete for Team USA at this year's Summer Olympics in Paris.
Marine Toys for Tots' Christmas in July Campaign Delivers Hope to Children in Need
Marine Toys for Tots' Christmas in July Campaign Delivers Hope to Children in Need
(NewsUSA) - Marine Toys for Tots, best known as the Nation's premier children's Christmastime charity, doesn't wait until the holiday season to support children in need. Toys for Tots has evolved …
The 5 most popular international summer travel destinations in 2024
Airalo compiled a ranking of the five most popular international summer travel destinations using information from Google Flights.
Give Your Grilling Game a Flavor Boost: 3 tips to make summer meals deliciously memorable
(Family Features) Make sure your grill game is on fire this summer. The right prepping, seasoning and grilling techniques can help you serve your favorite foods.
Netflix cancels cheapest plan as subscribers have to choose
Giant Freakin Robot reports that Netflix is phasing out its cheapest ad-free subscription tier for existing subscribers and asking them to choose a new plan to stay tuned into the world's largest streamer.
How does sleep affect the weight loss journey? We asked a husband-and-wife team of medical experts
(BPT) - As a sleep medicine specialist, Dr. Christopher J. Allen knows well the importance of sleep health, which is not only defined by the number of hours the individual sleeps, but also the …
Hurricane Beryl’s rapid intensification to Category 5 is alarming: Here’s why more tropical storms are exploding in strength
Hurricane Beryl hit the island of Carriacou, Grenada, on July 1, 2024, with 150 mph sustained winds. NOAA Hurricane Beryl was the latest Atlantic storm to rapidly intensify, growing quickly from …
Extreme heat can be deadly, but you can take steps to stay safe.
Cool Ways to Protect Yourself from Heat-Related Illness
(NAPSI)—Much of the U.S. could face hotter than normal conditions this year as the climate crisis drives higher temperatures—but you can keep yourself and those you care about safe.   …
2024's best cities for grilling meat
Lawn Love ranked U.S. cities based on local interest in grilling, access to butchers and the average cost of meat.