The 14-year-old being held in connection with the deaths of his parents Tuesday has been identified by a local newspaper. The Valley Courier said in Friday's edition that authorities were holding John Caudle, who was apprehended by Park County Sheriff's deputies two hours after the body of his mother Joanne Rinebarger and his stepfather Tracy Rinebarger were found Tuesday at their home southwest of Monte Vista.

Attorneys wrapped up their arguments Friday in a case that will determine the fate of a voluntary plan designed to reduce groundwater pumping in the north-central part of the San Luis Valley.

A consultant for the 172,000-acre ranch that sits in the proposed path for a power line into the San Luis Valley has called for alternatives he argues could save money and spare the terrain surrounding La Veta Pass.

ASC Adventure Program offers a Youth Climbing Club.

Utility System Mended
Center residents heard findings from a study conducted by utility master Stephen Duree Oct. 21 confirming that while Center’s utility department was mismanaged and undermanned in the past, remedies are now in place.

Valued Viking
First grader Eddie Aragon and fifth grader Aspen Paiz have been named "Vikings for Values" for the month of September.

A proposed high-voltage transmission line into the San Luis Valley is sparking a debate over preserving the valley's scenic and wildlife resources versus the need to transport renewable energy to the Front Range. The battle lines were drawn in testimony filed Thursday with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.

Careless driving on the part of a dump truck driver left 24 sheep dead and another 16 injured Tuesday, law officers said.

A 14-year-old boy is in custody in connection with the Tuesday deaths of his mother and stepfather at their rural home southwest of Monte Vista.

A big fight is brewing over a proposal to run a new, $180 million power line through Colorado’s San Luis Valley — and many see it as a referendum on Colorado’s efforts to build a “New Energy Economy.”

Colorado's roads less traveled may also be plowed less frequently this fall and winter. The Colorado Department of Transportation has vowed to step up its adherence to a policy that could mean fewer snowplows on some of the Southern Colorado's less-frequented highways.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hopes to figure a financial cost to the salmonella outbreak in Alamosa that sickened 435 and killed one in 2008. [ video ]

Area residents gathered in force at Hillside Cemetery Sunday to participate in the dedication of the second veterans' memorial to be erected in Saguache county.

The Conejos Veterans Affairs Office has moved from inside the courthouse to the west side of the office complex next to the social services facilities, effective Oct. 10.

Following introductions by Alisha Reis, and Monte Vista City Council and Mayoral candidates’ five-minute speeches, the audience began asking questions.

"Having our own restaurant was something me and my husband wanted to do, but we were in Denver and we just didn't have the feel for doing the business there," says Rebecca Gutierrez. She and her husband Ricardo plan to open El Vallecito, a Mexican restaurant, Wednesday, Oct. 21 on Main St. in La Jara.

Public and private health care providers in the San Luis Valley are continuing to work together to provide vaccines for the 2009 novel H1N1 influenza.
“All available 2009 H1N1 vaccines have been tested for safety and effectiveness in human trials and are FDA approved. The CDC expects the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines to have a similar safety profile as the yearly seasonal flu vaccines, which have a very good safety track record,” stated Dr. Bill Brinton, San Luis Valley Regional Epidemiologist.

Voted #1 a cappella band in the U.S. in 2007, the four members of Moira Smiley and VOCO create post-folk, improvisation-built songs while digging into old Americana and Eastern European sounds, and they are coming to Alamosa, Col. on Wed., Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m., courtesy of the Alamosa Live Music Association (ALMA) and the Adams State College music department. Admission is $14 for the general public, $12 for ALMA members, and $5 for students with ID. Moira Smiley & VOCO sing powerful, emotional music with lush harmony and the delicious vaudevillian combo of cello, accordion and banjo. Sprinkled throughout their songs are rompin' stompin' body percussion sets - always a show-stopping pleasure. VOCO is the energy of street singing and the elegance of a string quartet; joyous, magnificent, hair-raising harmonies - music that mourns and dances at the same time.

ALMA is also proud to present Grammy-nominated songwriter Eliza Gilkyson, accompanied by highly acclaimed guitarist Nina Gerber. A long time stalwart of the folk-roots music scene, Gilkyson brings her socially and spiritually conscious music to the wonderful acoustic venue at Leon Memorial Hall on Wed., Nov. 18th at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $15 for the general public, $13 for ALMA members and $5 for students with ID. Gerber, guitarist extraordinaire, easily transitions through an eclectic range of styles, including folk, country, bluegrass, rock, or blues, and was a long-time accompanist of the acclaimed late singer-songwriter Kate Wolf. She has also played with artists such as Nanci Griffith, Greg Brown, Lucy Kaplansky, Dave Alvin, Karla Bonoff, Mollie O'Brien, Ferron, Rosalie Sorrels, Cheryl Wheeler, Tom Paxton, and many others. More information about supporting ALMA and about upcoming concerts is available at http://www.almaonline.org.

The federal agency looking at designating more than 20,000 acres in the San Luis Valley as suitable for utility-scale solar projects, released public comments on the proposal Tuesday.

A review of the town of Center's electric and gas utility pointed to a checkered past and made some suggestions for future operations. The 39-page report issued at a meeting Wednesday night by Special Master Stephen Duree came as part of an out-of-court settlement between the town and local business owner Martin Palma.

U.S. Congressman John Salazar is urging union members and Harborlite mine owners to go back to the bargaining table and end the lock out.

The USDA-Natural Resources 2009 Matching Grant Program provided matching funds for the control of noxious weeds in Rio Grande County. The target weeds were hoary cress, perennial pepper weed, yellow toadflax, Russian knapweed, Scotch thistle, and black henbane. This project managed weeds according to the watershed landscape. The application of chemicals will considered wind, water, wildlife and human factors and effects in both Rio Grande and Mineral Counties. The best control practices will occur over a three year period. The management practices are completed and landowners receive their matching costs reimbursed through Rio Grande Conservation District at the Monte Vista USDA Field office. If any landowner has questions, please call 719-852-5114 x306.