Pagosa Springs Daily Digest Saturday, July 18, 2026
Ty's Take
Fifty-eight thousand visitors rolled through Archuleta County over the Fourth, which tells you something about where this place sits in the world's imagination these days—and something about the weight that puts on our roads, our water system, and the folks who actually live here year-round. The monsoons are coming in hot, which means lightning season and the fire danger that keeps half the county nervous from June through September. Downtown's asking anglers to stay off the San Juan for a stretch, likely because the pressure is just too much. There's a reason the editorial pages keep circling back to water—it's the real conversation we're having, whether we're talking about fish or fireworks or tourists soaking in the hot springs. Summer's here, and so is the reckoning.
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Pagosa Springs SUN
Thingamajig’s summer repertory season reaches full swing
Thingamajig Theatre Company's summer season is now in full swing at the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts, rotating three musicals—"Come From Away," "Company," and "Fiddler on the Roof"—throughout the week. The repertory format challenges actors, musicians, and technical staff to transform...
Friends of the Library summer book sale this week
The Friends of the Library is holding its summer book sale this week at the Community United Methodist Church, with members-only shopping Thursday evening and public hours Friday and Saturday. All proceeds benefit the Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library, and membership ($15 individual or $25 family)...
More than 58,600 visit county over Fourth of July holiday
Archuleta County drew over 58,600 visitors during the Fourth of July holiday period, with nearly 25,000 coming from out of state, according to data from Tourism Director Jennifer Greene. The county ranked second in the region behind La Plata County, with visitors spending an average of 2.5 days in...
Monsoons arrive, bringing chance of rain, lightning
Monsoonal moisture has arrived in Pagosa Country, bringing afternoon thunderstorms with lightning, hail, and gusty winds through next week, though rainfall will be scattered across the region. The area remains under Stage 2 fire restrictions with very high fire danger, and 100 percent of Archuleta...
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Pagosa Daily Post
EDITORIAL: The Mysteries of Water Demand and Public Finance, Part Five
This editorial explores the history of water planning in Colorado, tracing how the Colorado River District was created during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era, and reflecting on how misinformation about climate and resources has persisted over time. The piece draws parallels between 1930s...
Anglers Asked to Refrain from Fishing the Downtown Stretch of the San Juan River
Colorado Parks & Wildlife has enacted voluntary fishing closures on the San Juan River through Pagosa Springs from noon to midnight daily due to dangerously warm water temperatures near 71 degrees. The closures protect stressed trout during warm months when reduced oxygen levels make fish more...
READY, FIRE, AIM: The Windmills of My Mind
A humor column uses wind patterns and renewable energy as jumping-off points to discuss America's economic and technological standing, noting that China has become a leader in clean energy while American policymakers debate energy sources. The writer playfully compares energy choices to everyday...
EVIL MISTRESS: A Lifelong Affair with Music, Part Twenty-Eight
This installment of a music memoir recounts the author's time in 2007 joining Jeff Strahan's band, "Jeff Strahan & the Brothers Mayhem," and describes the bandleader's energetic stage performances and demanding approach to music-making. The piece captures the camaraderie and challenges of life on...
BIG PIVOTS: Water Trial of the Century
A critical water trial is underway in Colorado's San Luis Valley as a judge hears testimony on a plan to reduce agricultural pumping from a rapidly depleting aquifer linked to the Rio Grande. The case could determine the future of both the valley's $400 million agriculture economy and the survival...
Psychedelics Promising Relief for Depressed Mothers?
Research shows that luvesilocin, a newly developed psychedelic similar to psilocybin, may offer breakthrough treatment for postpartum depression and anxiety affecting roughly one in five new mothers. Early FDA trials have shown rapid symptom improvement or complete recovery in some patients,...
PAGOSA UU FELLOWSHIP: Who Doesn’t Love a Good Story?
The Pagosa Unitarian Universalist Fellowship invites the community to Sunday services featuring storyteller Libby Krause sharing wisdom stories about acceptance and resilience. The Fellowship also offers regular meditation, qigong, and discussion groups as part of its role as a community spiritual...
OPINION: Walking Back America’s Environmental Protections
An opinion piece criticizes how political leaders and major institutions—from government scientists to international banks to European regulators—have retreated from climate commitments in recent years, while China has emerged as the global clean energy leader. The author argues that this Western...
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