Earlier this month, Iowa Pacific Holdings L.L.C. submitted two Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant applications to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to obtain funds for infrastructure upgrades and the launch of passenger-rail operations at two short lines. The holding company is seeking a TIGER grant for the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad (SLRG) to upgrade track, improve service and launch a “San Luis Valley Rail Mobility” passenger-rail operation for residents of a remote and sparsely populated region in south-central Colorado. The short line plans to build an inland port facility to transfer products between rail and truck, and upgrade track to accommodate heavier freight volumes and higher passenger train speeds. “In a unique twist, the railway would commit to provide local passenger operations at its own expense, without subsidy, for 20 years,” Iowa Pacific Holdings officials said in a prepared statement. “Trains would operate four times daily between South Fork, Alamosa and Antonito on a year-round basis.”

Colorado Trike Flying, July 2008, Alamosa, Creede & the Rio Grande Gorge from jeffsflightlog on Vimeo.

...We followed the Rio Grande towards it's source, near Creede, CO. There were clouds at Wagon Wheel Gap, so Chris and I checked out a side canyon (Goose Creek) and when we returned the clouds had lifted. We continued to Creede and beyond to an amazing series of mountain lakes and meadows.

Opponents of a plan to reduce groundwater pumping in the north-central part of the San Luis Valley renewed their arguments Monday that the proposal did not do enough to protect senior surface water users. The proposal, which would fallow up to 40,000 acres of irrigated farmland through a combination of local assessments and federal funding, was back before the division water court for the Rio Grande Basin in the continuation of a trial that's expected to last for two to three weeks.

There may be a new city hall and library complex built at Cole Park. The city can always back out if the bids are too high. The project is expected to cost between $5 million and $7 million.

Hispanic Heritage Month
Adams State College and community will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with “Compartiendo Tradiciones” a variety of events have been scheduled including two art exhibits, “Recuerdos y Reflexiones,” and “Dia de Los Muertos” opening October 5 and continue through October 30 in the ASC Community Partnerships Gallery.

La Carpa de los Rasquachis
Denver's Su Teatro announces the statewide tour of its production of Luis Valdez’s La Carpa de los Rasquachis, directed by Anthony J. Garcia. The performance will take place Friday, October 23, 2009 at Adams State College in Alamosa, For more information, please contact John Kuebler, media coordinator, at john@suteatro.org or 303.296.0219.

Ranches of Colorado
Tucked into every corner of the Colorado landscape are places where legends still live. In 2007 and 2008 John Fielder traveled to photograph 50 of Colorado’s most beautiful multi-generational working cattle ranches, most already protected from development. Please mark November 10, 2009, on your calendar to see a slide show of over 250 of the project photographs. John will be there telling stories about his experiences working with these remarkable ranchers and exploring their ranches. His new book, Ranches of Colorado, will be on sale with a portion to benefit the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (or RiGHT). RiGHT works to conserve land, water, and way of life in the San Luis Valley. With over 11,000 acres protected in the last ten years, RiGHT is committed to keeping the best private lands intact for the benefit of farmers, ranchers, wildlife, and everyone who enjoys the beauty of the upper Rio Grande basin. John Fielder’s slideshow will be presented on Tuesday, November 10, at 7 p.m. at Carson Auditorium in Alamosa. For more information, call Katherine Benke: 719-657-0803.

Photo taken near Manassa by Eric Shiveley

Tarantulas spend most of their lives underground, but come late September, Colorado tarantulas, a species known as Aphonopelma Coloradanum, are on the move, seeking females for breeding season. In their longing, male tarantulas fitted with miniature radio transmitters have been known to travel more than a mile in 18 days. Males seek out the females' burrows and make tapping sounds outside, hoping the females will emerge for a brief mating interlude. When it is over, the males retreat quickly because - occasionally - a female will immediately kill her mate.


Photo taken near La Florida by Leeann Nielsen

Tarantulas are among the longest living spiders. Females may live for more than 20 years. Populations of tarantulas tend to be localized, where they burrow into soil and feed at night. Tarantulas defend themselves by flinging hairs from their abdomen which can be irritating to the touch. They may produce a pinching bite if handled. Although tarantula fangs can pierce the skin effectively and inject venom, that venom has never been known to kill or even cause serious symptoms in humans.

Construction will begin Sept. 28 to update runway and other lighting at the Monte Vista Municipal Airport. The project will take approximately 3 weeks to complete. The runway will be closed due to the construction. Some flights may continue during the day, in coordination with on-site crews. No nighttime flights will be permitted, given that the lights will not be operational during construction. All airport users, including emergency response teams, have been notified of the project. The lighting upgrade was necessary, as runway lighting was not up to code and approach lighting – which helps guide airplanes in for landing – had deteriorated to the point that it was not reliably working and finding parts for the aging system had become impossible, according to Airport Manager Alisha Reis. The project is being funded as part of a program for regular maintenance for airports nationwide by the Federal Aviation Administration ($450,000), the Colorado Department of Transportation ($11,842), and the City of Monte Vista ($11,842). Colorado Springs contractor Electrical Excellence Enterprises is conducting the work.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar spent part of Saturday at his favorite national park, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

The Kar Wash business in Monte Vista has a new owner but a familiar face. Thomas Espinosa, who also owns his alignment business on the same property, has purchased the car wash. After managing the business for ten years, Thomas decided it was time to make things more permanent. He looks forward to making some improvements to the property and to make it more accessible. One of his pastimes is to ride Harley trikes. He hopes to add a motorcycle wash bay in the near future. He and his wife, Tammy, have many people they want to thank for making this possible for them. They have been assisted by Anthony & Kathy Skeff, Donn Vigil and Donna Wehe from the Small Business Development Center. They received a lot of support from their family, especially Grace, Leonard, LaShonda, Angel and Dezarie. Their kids really have been encouraging them to “go for it,” because they grew up around the business and felt a lot of pride in being a small business owner in Monte Vista. Tammy works for the Tri-County Senior Citizens and has also received support from her co-workers and the residents. They told Tammy and Thomas they are happy to see the business stay in local ownership. Thomas reflected, “This has been a dream of mine since working here as a caretaker of the property for a number of years. After much consideration and feedback from others, I felt it was the right time to make this happen.”

The resources at the SBDC are free and confidential. Thomas first contacted the SBDC office when it was formerly housed at Adams State College. He then called Donna Wehe when he saw she was offering a workshop in the area. He didn’t want to attend the workshop; he wanted assistance in evaluating the business, negotiating the terms and conditions of the project and other advice. The office of the San Luis Valley SBDC is 587-5151. He hopes to continue offering the same friendly service with both his alignment and brakes business as well as under the new enterprise, Tomas’s Car Wash, LLC. The business is located at 1745 Grande Avenue, on the East side of Monte Vista (on the North side of Highway 160)-. He can be reached at 719-850-0925.

Passionate Folk/Rock Coming to Alamosa
Jenny Bird has been called “the most passionate performer in the new folk/rock genre,” and she brings acoustic guitar master Michael Mandrell with her for a concert, Fri., Sept. 25, 7:30pm in Leon Memorial Hall, on the Adams State College campus, in Alamosa, Colo., presented by the Alamosa Live Music Association (ALMA). The show helps celebrate the release of Bird’s latest recording, “Mystics Muse,” featuring musical settings of quotes from mystics from many traditions, from St. John to Rumi to Lao Tzu and more. Tickets are $12 for the general public, $10 for ALMA members and $5 for students with identification.

Bird’s music leaves her audiences touched, transformed, inspired and singing all the way home, and it has evolved over the years from folk with an edge, when she was part of Lilith Fair, to jazzy ballads, and now to sacred works. Bird’s recordings feature such guests as blues virtuoso Rory Block and rainbow warrior Eliza Gilkyson, and Bird has performed on the same stage with Sheryl Crow, John Prine, Iris Dement, J.J. Cale, Blues Traveler, Sinead O'Connor, Indigo Girls and Sarah McLachlan, to name a few. Mandrell is known for his transcendent guitar playing, and his blend of Celtic, Jazz and New Age music demonstrates just what a 6 and 12 string guitar can do in the hands of a real master. He has shared the stage with such musical luminaries as Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, and Spyro Gyra. Featured often on “Echoes” and many other radio shows as well, Mandrell’s music has found an audience with an ear for the creative side of the new world fusion genre. More information about supporting ALMA and about upcoming concerts is available at http://www.almaonline.org.

Grave Images of the San Luis Valley
Cemeteries are the repositories of history and personal narrative, places of comfort and beauty. Beginning in 1994, photographer and installation artist Kathy T. Hettinga began a fourteen-year project to document an unknown body of funerary folk art displayed in the cemeteries of the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. She will discuss her new book, Grave Images of the San Luis Valley, Saturday, October 17, 3:00pm at the Rio Grande County Museum in Del Norte, Tuesday, October 20, 4:00pm at the Adams State College Community Partnership Gallery in Alamosa.

Milagros Open Mic
Atomic Pork will play a reunion set at Friday's open mic, this Friday, 7pm at Milagros. Please tell your friends to come read, sing, dance or do their spoonbending tricks--it's part of Hope Week, La Puente's annual homelessness promotion.

South Fork Chili and Salsa Competition
October 16 is the date for this year’s Chili and Salsa Competition in South Fork. This event has three categories available for cooks to sign up; Green or Red Chili, and Salsa. Cooks can enter one or all three categories. Participants will need to make 4-5 gallons of chili and 1 gallon of salsa, which will then be served in small samples to the public, who will then cast votes for you they think is the Best. Everyone is invited to come and sample all the amazing recipes and cast their ballot for their favorite. Children 8 and under wil be charged $2 to get in and everyone will be charged $3, with all proceeds being donated to the community building repair fund. As always, there will be great desserts, hot dogs and nachos available for an additional cost to go with your samples. Come have some fun at this great event to help kick of hunting seasons in South Fork. To sign up to compete please contact the South Fork Visitors Center at 873-5512.

The mystery of Danice Lea Day came to a sad conclusion Tuesday as Rio Grande County Sheriff Brian Norton revealed that her remains had been identified. Her former boyfriend has been charged with manslaughter following the recovery of her remains from a barrel in an Arizona lake.

Photo by Adam Schallau

A freeze warning was in effect last night for the San Luis Valley. Snow fell yesterday and, as evidenced by the SLV Webcams, a frost has blanketed the higher elevations.

Two San Luis Valley residents were airlifted to St. Anthony's Hospital in Denver following separate traffic accidents in which drivers went off the road and lost control, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

Adams State College won a $600,000 federal grant last week to implement programs in the San Luis Valley for home-financing education, green-economy opportunities and job training for the disabled.

Lloyd Engen is the sports editor at the Valley Courier, a small daily newspaper located in Alamosa, Colo. He is pretty much the entire sports department at the 5,000-circulation paper that covers the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. On Sept. 5, while covering a game between Norwood and Sangre de Cristo high schools, Engen was on the sideline, camera in hand, when three players came barreling down on him. In the resulting collision, the 68-year-old Engen was left with a shattered pelvis and three cracked vertebrae.It is not certain whether Engen will ever walk again. Those wanting to contribute to the fund to help Lloyd Engen can send a check to the San Luis Valley Federal Bank, P.O. Box 780, Alamosa, CO 81101.

A 43-year old Mosca man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly trying to lure a juvenile into sex following a series of online chats.

Dear Sir/Madame, This place sucks. No, really. It does. Stop. Just stop trying to defend it. You have no chance. I’m right, you’re wrong. Alamosa just plain sucks. I moved here when I was eight years old. I am now 23. Nothing has changed. We’ve managed to add a couple buildings here and there, but in terms of culture and energy, we have not progressed at all. At least when I was eight I didn’t know any better… but now, I mean come on, how can one persist here without taking the brutal stagnation to task? If I hadn’t moved away for college, I would have gone insane by now. Mayor, let me help you out.

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The Colorado State Library system awarded nearly $400,000 in grants Monday to the state's public libraries, including $72,000 for computer equipment at nine libraries in the San Luis Valley.

The high desert acoustic music of Mark Dudrow and Justin Dean will provide the soundtrack for “Suds for SAR,” Tues., Sept. 15, 8pm at the San Luis Valley Brewing Co., courtesy of the Alamosa Live Music Association (ALMA). The event will raise money for Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue (AVSAR), a volunteer non-profit public service organization dedicated to providing search and rescue services and education so that others may live. The brewery is supporting AVSAR by donating $1 for every pint of beer sold from 8-10 PM. There will be also be a slideshow of AVSAR pictures and an auction of donations, including art and mountaineering gear. AVSAR is responsible for the rescue and recovery of lost persons within Alamosa Co. in high angle rescue as well as rugged terrain.

Dudrow and Dean play Celtic, folk, classical, acoustic and a healthy dose of bluegrass, on the violin, mandolin, cello, and guitar. Sometimes they sing, too! Their song list includes Johnny Cash, Jerry Garcia and David Grisman, Neil Young, John Prine, and Woody Guthrie; traditional Celtic, American, and New Mexico fiddle tunes. Dudrow has been playing the cello since 1973, also dabbling in mandolin and other fretted instruments. Dean is a solo artist and jack-of-many trades who has performed throughout northern N.M. and southern Col. Between them they have played with such musical manifestations as Don Richmond, Chipper Thompson, Roger Landes, Return of the Snakes, Jenny Bird, and the San Juan Symphony Orchestra, and they proudly claim influences ranging from Bach to Black Sabbath, from Del McCoury to the Dead Kennedys. Dudrow and Dean enjoy rehearsing in nature, on the edges of canyons and amongst the trees. This backwoods approach shines through in their music, inviting you to twilight in the mountains around the campfire. More information about supporting ALMA and about upcoming concerts is available at http://www.almaonline.org.