Pagosa Springs Daily Digest Thursday, July 23, 2026
Ty's Take
You can tell a lot about a town by where it decides to put its energy, and right now Archuleta County is wrestling with the fundamentals, the kind of unglamorous work that doesn't make the tourism brochures. The water conservancy district is talking ranch maintenance and eyeing yet another office move, U.S. 160 needs reconstruction, and the county's unemployment ticked up in June. Meanwhile, civic groups are organizing, folks are paying attention to what's happening at the state and national level, and there's a new push around geothermal development. It's not flashy, but it's the real work of keeping a place functioning when you're caught between being a mountain resort and staying a working county. The question is whether we've got the patience and coordination to see it through.
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Pagosa Springs SUN
An opportunity for improvement
A noncustodial parent's attempt to access a child at Wings Early Childhood Center in Pagosa Springs on July 17 led to a delayed law enforcement response due to a dispatch mapping error that routed the call to the Archuleta County Sheriff's Office instead of Pagosa Springs Police. The incident,...
No substantive content available for summary.
Historical items from the Pagosa Springs SUN archives include a 1926 account of two young men jailed in Pagosa Springs for larceny charges awaiting transfer to the state reformatory in Buena Vista, and a 1951 report detailing New Mexico engineers and Bureau of Reclamation officials studying the...
U.S. 160 reconstruction information
The U.S. 160 reconstruction project in Pagosa Springs is shifting traffic to the south side of the highway this week to begin work on the north side near 3rd Street. Work continues on subgrade preparation, concrete paving at Lewis Street, and pedestrian crossings remain open at multiple locations,...
The League of Women Voters of Archuleta County celebrating first anniversary
The League of Women Voters of Archuleta County is marking its first anniversary with a community gathering on July 27 at Community United Methodist Church on Lewis Street, where members will review their accomplishments including the "Join or Die" documentary screening and plan upcoming activities....
Archuleta County Democratic Club to meet Aug. 5
Ben Fox, director of Wings Early Childhood Center, will speak to the Archuleta County Democratic Club on August 5 at Uncle's about how the nonprofit preschool addresses childcare needs and what resources would help it expand. The club meets monthly and welcomes all community members interested in...
Water conservancy district talks ranch maintenance strategy
The San Juan Water Conservancy District discussed maintenance plans for Running Iron Ranch at its July 20 meeting, including potential arrangements with neighboring ranchers and the U.S. Forest Service regarding grazing and removal of salvage materials. Board members raised questions about how to...
Water conservancy district considers relocating office again
The San Juan Water Conservancy District is considering relocating its offices to First Southwest Bank at 249 Navajo Trail Drive beginning December 1, reducing monthly rent from approximately $800 to $435. The district has already secured the space with a security deposit after board members...
County’s June unemployment rate up slightly from May
Archuleta County's unemployment rate rose to 3.2 percent in June from 2.9 percent in May, with 211 people unemployed out of a labor force of 6,496, according to a Colorado Department of Labor and Employment report. Colorado's statewide unemployment rate remained steady at 3.9 percent while the...
Report: Colorado’s housing market remains steady
Colorado's real estate market maintained steady growth in June with single-family home sales rising 0.9 percent and median prices reaching $606,500. In Pagosa Springs, the luxury market (homes above $700,000) saw notably higher inventory, giving buyers more choices while prices and buyer interest...
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Pagosa Daily Post
EDITORIAL: A Satisfied Mind, Part Three
A Pagosa Daily Post editor reflects on reader responses to the question of what "a satisfied mind" means, exploring whether true satisfaction requires contentment or if continuous striving for improvement is necessary. The discussion examines the tension between finding peace in the present moment...
Addressing Political Discord in Rural Communities
Community Works, a national initiative operating in 15 rural chapters across seven states, rebuilds political engagement by organizing volunteers around nonpartisan community needs rather than electoral campaigns. The program, which includes a chapter with requirements to attend local Democratic...
A Deloitte-Run System Denied Medicaid Benefits for Michigan’s Disabled
Deloitte's management of Michigan's Medicaid eligibility system has led to widespread denials and misclassifications of benefits for disabled residents due to IT errors, according to a KFF Health News investigation. The company operates similar systems in at least 25 states and faces increasing...
Fallout from Student Column Sparks Press Freedom Scrutiny in Grand Junction
The advisor for Grand Junction High School's Orange & Black student newspaper was reassigned less than two weeks after a student column about the Gaza conflict prompted complaints from a teacher. The reassignment, which followed an investigation that found no fault with the column, has drawn...
Low Public Awareness of Colorado’s ‘150’ Anniversary
A Colorado Polling Institute survey found that more than two-thirds of Coloradans have heard little or nothing about the state's upcoming 150th statehood anniversary in August. Despite low awareness of the milestone, nearly two-thirds of voters expressed optimism that Colorado's best days lie...
HEALTHY ARCHULETA: Opportunities for Families and Youth
Healthy Archuleta is offering summer youth internships, the Kids in the Mountain Garden Education Program at Vista Lake Community Garden, and fall child-parent relationship therapy to strengthen families and youth in Archuleta County. Summer interns are developing recommendations for community...
Durango Concert Hall Adds Two Special Performances to 2026-2027 Season
The Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College in Durango has added humorist David Sedaris and country singers Suzy Bogguss and Kathy Mattea to its 2026-2027 season celebrating the venue's 30th anniversary. The performances are scheduled for May 4 and March 21, 2027, respectively, with tickets...
Colorado State Land Board Issues Request for Proposals for Geothermal Development
The Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners is seeking proposals for geothermal energy development on state trust lands in Alamosa, Rio Grande, Saguache, Las Animas, and La Plata Counties to generate revenue for public schools. Proposals are due September 20 and will be evaluated on financial...
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