Brief by Marcia Darnell
San Luis Valley – February 2006 – Colorado Central Magazine
Art is for the Birds
Second- graders at Boyd Elementary in Alamosa are learning about cranes, geography, and other cultures through their teacher’s activism. Sue Patterson is a member of the International Crane Foundation, which works to protect the birds and the habitats. She’s involving her art students by having them create paintings of cranes to trade with kids in Cuba, Russia, China and Korea, all of which are on the crane itinerary. Both kids and birds benefit.
Towns Transformin’
Del Norte will use a $46,000 GOCO grant to build a skateboard park. This will be a grinding 180 for the town, which previously arrested teens for skating around public buildings.
South Fork is considering a property tax. The town currently survives on sales tax revenue, but needs more bucks for street maintenance. The voters will decide the issue.
Creede annexed 40 acres on the mesa overlooking the town, the town’s first annexation since 1892. The land will be subdivided into 70 lots for residential and commercial use.
Railroad Runnin’
The annual nail- biting is officially over: The Cumbres- Toltec Railroad has the money to run another year. Lots of it, apparently — the train will run seven days a week from May 27 through Oct. 15. Five days a week the train will run from Antonito to Osier and back, and from Chama, NM, and back. On Sundays, it’ll go from Chama to Antonito; on Mondays, from Antonito to Chama, both return by bus. Adult fares are $59- $115, depending on trip and accommodations. For reservations, call 719/376- 5488; or 1- 888- 286- 2737 toll free. And for more information and pictures check: www.cumbrestoltec.com
New Growth
Alamosans Audrey Liu and Steve Cole are growing greens in teepees. The two structures, made of clear polyethylene, are part of an experiment to see if teepees make good greenhouses. The couple’s first crop of organic produce is due in mid- March. The experiment is sponsored by Organic Producer magazine and Reese Tipis in Colorado Springs.
See the Birdie
The Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge’s annual Christmas bird count took place Dec. 17 and resulted in 59 species sighted over 217 miles of ground. Volunteers did the work, part of the nationwide Audubon Society Christmas bird count. Next year’s count is slated for Dec. 14 to Jan. 5.
Brief Briefs
The DOW has discovered a species of fish new to the Valley. The Rio Grande sucker was found in Crestone Creek.
The Community Christmas Dinner in Alamosa served a record 1,400 people on the big day, plus 200 homebound diners. The event has grown every year.
The San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad was sold to Permian Basin Railways Inc. The line runs between Walsenburg and Derrick and between Antonito and Alamosa.
A food bank has opened in Hooper, under the aegis of Action Against hunger and Malnutrition.
Bill McClure resigned as Center’s town manager, citing stress over residents’ complaints about increasing utility bills. He changed his mind, however, and decided to stay on.
Saguache County sold all of its delinquent tax property, 330 parcels.
Don Clayton retired as Alamosa’s volunteer fire chief; Don Chapman is the head of the 25- member squad. Shawn Jensen is the new sales tax auditor for the city of Alamosa.
Monte Vistan John Needham won an essay contest from CollegeInvest. The state program awarded Needham a $5,000 scholarship for his 2- year- old granddaughter Sara Raines.
Three Saguache County employees were charged with credit card fraud. The public health workers allegedly used a county card to buy personal items.
The FFA team from Sangre de Cristo High School in Mosca won their district competition in parliamentary procedure.
The Saguache County Credit Union opened a second branch, in Center.
