Pagosa Springs Daily Digest Friday, October 09, 2026
Ty's Take
Three vacant seats in the county planning department, limited hours, and a town council that just punted on a major subdivision decision. That's not a formula for moving things forward when you've got sales tax collections sliding two months running and a disaster declaration still in effect. Archuleta County's got real constraints right now, real staffing troubles, and the kind of stretched-thin operations that don't inspire confidence in either the locals counting on us to manage growth or the investors waiting to hear if their projects pencil out. Some weeks you can see exactly where the bottleneck is, and this is one of them.
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Pagosa Springs SUN
McCelvey sentenced to 12 years in prison
Justin Levi McCelvey of New Braunfels, Texas, received a 12-year sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide and vehicular assault in connection with a February 2025 crash near milepost 18 on U.S. 84 that killed two people. The crash killed...
Town council votes to postpone decision on major subdivision development
The Pagosa Springs Town Council voted on October 6 to postpone a decision on the Ponderosa Mountain subdivision development proposed by Modern Community Builders LLC, which would develop a 70-acre site off U.S. 160 and Great West Boulevard with residential and commercial lodging units. The...
County planning department operating on limited hours with three positions vacant
The Archuleta County Planning Department is operating on reduced hours and has three vacant budgeted positions, with the temporary schedule expected to last 30 to 45 days. County Manager Longinos Gonzalez announced during an October 6 work session that the department currently offers limited access...
Monthly sales tax collections down for second consecutive month
Sales tax collections in Archuleta County dropped 2.85 percent in August compared to the previous year, representing $47,627.53 less in revenue for the Town of Pagosa Springs and the county combined. Year-to-date figures through August show a 2.83 percent decline, with notable decreases in...
County extends local disaster declaration
The Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners unanimously extended the local disaster declaration on October 1 after heavy rains and flooding that began around September 14 damaged infrastructure and forced road closures throughout the county. County Manager Longinos Gonzalez noted that the...
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Pagosa Daily Post
EDITORIAL: Archuleta County ‘Planning’ Challenges, Part Two
An opinion piece in the Pagosa Daily Post examines ongoing staffing challenges in the Archuleta County Planning Department, which has lost dedicated personnel and is working to update the County Comprehensive Plan and rewrite the Land Use Regulations. Commissioner John Ranson expressed hope that...
State Attorneys General Challenge Federal Policy Changes Regarding ‘Head Start’
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined a multistate coalition opposing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' proposal to cut regulations governing the Head Start program, which serves over 10,000 Colorado children annually. The proposed federal rule would eliminate more than 1,400...
Democrats Maintain Fundraising Edge in Colorado Heading to November 3
Democratic candidate Phil Weiser, the incumbent Colorado attorney general running for governor, maintains a substantial fundraising advantage over Republican Victor Marx heading into the November 3 election. Weiser reported $724,879 in cash on hand as of October 1 after raising nearly $1.7 million...
45 DEGREES NORTH: The Hiring Committee
An opinion essay urges voters to view themselves as members of a hiring committee responsible for evaluating House of Representatives candidates, since all 435 House seats are up for election every two years. The piece reminds readers that the House was designed by the Constitution's framers to be...
LIBRARY NEWS: They Say Reading Is Over. Our Library Says Otherwise.
The Ruby Sisson Library in Pagosa Springs is responding to declining national reading trends by continuing to expand its collection and promote literacy through adult education programs. The library is actively seeking volunteers to serve as GED and English as a Second Language tutors for community...
ARCHULETA SENIORS: Indigenous People’s Day
Archuleta Seniors, Inc. will be closed Monday, October 12 to observe Indigenous Peoples Day and honor the history, culture, and contributions of Indigenous peoples to the region. The senior center will resume its regular Monday through Friday lunch services on Tuesday, October 13 at the Community...
HEALTHY ARCHULETA: Mark Your Calendar for the 4th Annual Health Fair
The 4th Annual Health Fair will take place Saturday, October 24 from 7 a.m. to noon at Pagosa Springs High School, featuring a keynote presentation by Dr. Arturo Montaño, a board-certified neurologist, on protecting brain health and managing neurological conditions. The Colorado Department of...
CHAMBER NEWS: A Season for Collaboration
The Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce is promoting regional collaboration with the Durango Chamber of Commerce through initiatives like a shared Staycation Package designed to encourage longer stays and increased spending across both communities. The chambers demonstrate that cooperation...
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