Pagosa Springs Daily Digest Friday, August 21, 2026
Ty's Take
The commissioners are asking voters to dig deeper into their pockets for the lodging tax, and you can read that move a couple of ways depending on which side of the second-home divide you're standing on. Those pushing it will tell you the money stays local, funds roads and services that the tourist economy depends on, keeps Pagosa competitive with other resort towns. The skeptics, and there are plenty, will say we're already taxing visitors plenty and that county government ought to learn to manage with what it's got. Either way, this one's coming to a vote, and that means August and September are going to be about making the case. Both sides probably have a point.
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Pagosa Springs SUN
Tour to offer glimpse into studios of area artists
Pagosa Springs artists are welcoming the public into their studios August 21-23 for an annual open house tour featuring 25 locations with sculptors, jewelry makers, painters, and other creative professionals. An opening reception with live music takes place Thursday, August 20, at The Springs...
PCI’s Back-to-School Fair set for Aug. 22, final week to donate school supplies
The Pagosa Community Initiative is hosting a free Back-to-School Fair on Saturday, August 22, at Pagosa Springs High School, offering school supplies, haircuts, hygiene items, and community resources to Archuleta County families. Donations of school supplies are still needed through the end of this...
Guilty plea entered in 2025 fatal crash
Justin Levi McCelvey of New Braunfels, Texas, entered a guilty plea on August 13 to vehicular homicide and vehicular assault in connection with a fatal February 2025 crash south of Pagosa Springs that killed two people and injured another. McCelvey faces 12 years in the Colorado Department of...
Commissioners approve asking voters to increase lodging tax rate
The Archuleta County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a ballot measure for the November 3 election asking voters to increase the lodging tax by 4 percent, from 2 percent to 6 percent. If approved, the measure would generate approximately $1.08 million annually beginning January 1, 2027,...
Commissioners discuss alternative option for new administration building
Archuleta County commissioners are considering purchasing office space at 100 Country Center Drive as an alternative to building a new administration building, with a total investment estimated at $6.6 million for remodeling compared to $20.6 million for new construction. The county could acquire...
Commissioner’s request to cover attorney fees removed
Commissioner Veronica Medina requested and successfully removed from consideration an agenda item asking the county to cover her attorney fees related to a dismissed real estate complaint filed with Colorado's Division of Real Estate. Medina stated that since the division found no violation and...
Living in the Pagosa Springs mountains brings wildlife encounters, but residents must balance appreciation for elk, deer, and occasional moose with the responsibility to keep both animals and people safe. Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds residents that moose and bears increasingly conflict with...
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Pagosa Daily Post
EDITORIAL: Shooting in the Dark… at Tax Targets, Part Six
An editorial discusses concerns about government transparency in Archuleta School District's upcoming $130 million bond campaign, noting that public education advocate Lisa Scott is organizing volunteers and hiring consultants to promote the measure. The piece raises questions about whether all...
Pagosa ‘Artist Studio Tour’ Opening Reception Tonight
The Pagosa Springs Artist Studio Tour welcomes visitors to 25 local artist studios from August 21-23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering free admission to see painters, ceramicists, jewelry makers, woodworkers, and other creative professionals at work. An opening reception tonight at The Springs...
The Return of ‘Little House on the Prairie’
Netflix's new adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House on the Prairie," released in July 2026, offers a fresh take on the classic story while preserving its essence, following the Ingalls family's journey from Wisconsin to Kansas. Showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshire has already secured a...
READY, FIRE, AIM: Silence is Golden… Duct Tape is Silver…
A column explores the historical value of silence across cultures, noting that ancient Jewish texts valued silence at twice the worth of words, and examining modern examples of how much people have paid to keep secrets. The piece uses pop culture references and historical analysis to consider what...
CHAMBER NEWS: Looking Ahead to Colorfest
ColorFest returns September 18-20 with Passport to Pagosa on Friday evening, Bands, Brews & Barrels on Saturday, and hot air balloon launches at 8 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday from downtown Pagosa Springs. For the first time, the 40th Annual ColorFest will feature a state drone show Saturday...
Colorado Attorney General Sues ICE Facility in Tuberculosis Case
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser sued the GEO Group for operating the Aurora immigration detention center and refusing to comply with state public health orders regarding a confirmed tuberculosis case since June. The company has prevented state and local health agencies from conducting...
SENIOR CENTER: Where Does Your Donation Go?
Donations to Archuleta Seniors, Inc. support meals, wellness programs, and social connections for older adults in the community, with Meals on Wheels volunteers providing more than nutrition when they visit homebound seniors. The Senior Center offers dine-in and grab-and-go meals Monday through...
Ruby Sisson Library has launched Hoopla, a new e-book and audiobook service offering greater affordability and more titles through its AspenCat membership, while continuing to offer Libby as a second e-reading platform. The library's Read Wild summer program has surpassed its initial 250,000-minute...
Staffing Shortages, Threats of Violence, Fuel Strikes at Hospitals
Healthcare workers nationwide are striking in multiple states over workplace violence, staffing shortages, and low compensation, with hospital employees seven times more likely to experience workplace injuries from violent acts than the general population. Despite safety measures like metal...
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