Pagosa Springs Daily Digest Friday, June 19, 2026
Ty's Take
The county's move to pump the brakes on data centers while the town wrestles with who sits at the council table tells you something about where Pagosa's head is these days—we're trying to figure out who we want to be before we let somebody else decide for us. Water rights, power draw, the whole infrastructure question that comes with server farms: these aren't abstract policy problems in a place where the aquifer and the tourists and the families who've been here three generations all depend on the same finite resource. It's messy and it takes time, and there'll be people on both sides who think we're moving too slow or too fast. But at least we're asking the question instead of waking up five years from now wondering why we didn't.
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Pagosa Springs SUN
Town council appoints new member
The Pagosa Springs Town Council appointed Vahid Shabro to fill a vacant council seat on June 16, after no candidates ran in the April election. Shabro, a full-time resident for over a year with two school-age children, expressed interest in attracting remote-working families to the community while...
Moratorium on data centers approved by county board
Archuleta County commissioners unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on data center development, citing concerns about strain on the county's limited water and power infrastructure. Commissioner Veronica Medina plans to pursue a longer-term ban through voter approval, noting that the...
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Pagosa Daily Post
EDITORIAL: Some Very Expensive Mistakes, Part One
The Pagosa West subdivision proposal will go before the Town Planning Commission on June 23, drawing scrutiny from community observers who question the timing of a 100-acre development amid slow construction activity. The editorial raises concerns about interconnected impacts on water, sanitation,...
ESSAY: In Southwest Colorado… a Poetry Subscription Service
A Cortez-based art gallery owner launched The Patio Poets, an annual subscription service that pays rural poets fairly and mails their work to subscribers nationwide. The initiative addresses the persistent challenge of keeping artists in small towns who might otherwise relocate to larger cities...
Experience Downtown Pagosa During Inaugural Main Street Art Walk
Downtown Pagosa Springs will host its inaugural Main Street Art Walk on Friday, June 26, from 4 to 7 p.m., featuring local artists, complimentary refreshments, and free pedicab rides between galleries and shops. The free, self-guided event celebrates creativity while supporting local businesses and...
READY, FIRE, AIM: Growing or Dying in Pagosa Springs
A columnist challenges the common refrain that Pagosa Springs must grow or die, citing Switzerland's recent rejection of population caps and noting that growth is not an automatic requirement for community health. The essay questions whether perpetual expansion is the only path forward for small...
BIG PIVOTS: The Challenges Facing the Colorado and Republican Rivers
Colorado faces mounting pressure to comply with the Republican River Compact as the Ogallala Aquifer—which supplies nearly all water in the basin—becomes rapidly depleted. A conservation district recently approved $15-22 million in new well projects, a short-term fix that acknowledges the long-term...
PCI Planning for a Busy Summer, Building Community
Pagosa Community Initiative wrapped up its school year and celebrated record-breaking success at Second Chance Prom, raising nearly three times last year's total with help from an anonymous $36,000 matching donor. The organization is now in full swing with summer camps, Mom's Night gatherings, and...
LIBRARY NEWS: Ruby Sisson Would be Proud
The Ruby Sisson Library will reopen Monday, June 22, in its new section with expanded children's services and a meeting room for public reservations. The old section will be renovated and integrated by September 4, with a grand opening celebration planned for September 12.
HEALTHY ARCHULETA: Support Our Food Drive This Saturday
Healthy Archuleta is organizing a food drive on Saturday, June 20, at City Market to stock local pantries for summer, and is seeking volunteers to help maintain hydroponic growing towers. The organization uses a multi-layered approach combining community donations, local gardens, and regional food...
SENIOR CENTER: Happy Fathers’ Day
Archuleta Seniors, Inc. honored fathers and father figures in the community while noting the organization will be closed Friday, June 19, for Juneteenth. The senior center continues serving weekday meals at the Community Café downtown, with dine-in and grab-and-go options available for those 60 and...
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