Salida Daily Digest Friday, August 28, 2026
Ty's Take
Election season landed in Chaffee County this week with the usual mix of policy talk and sharp elbows, though the real conversation happening quieter than the campaign rhetoric is the one about who lives here and how. A Supreme Court case about preschool nondiscrimination rules in Colorado keeps that question tied up in court, while down at the local level, women fundraising through PEO are making sure scholarship money flows to the next generation. Between the politics and the fundraising and the slow-rolling work on wildfire codes, there's a thread running through all of it: this valley is changing faster than most folks expected, and nobody quite agrees on what the rules should be anymore. Vote or not, that's the conversation that matters.
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Ark Valley Voice
GOP Candidates Bring Policy Pitches, Sharp Rhetoric to Chaffee County
Republican candidates for Chaffee County offices, including governor, campaigned in the county on Monday, August 24, presenting positions on housing, taxes, and government regulation. The candidates also voiced strong criticism of Democrats, election practices, and LGBTQ policies as they outlined...
Local PEO Fundraiser to Support Scholarships for Women
The local P.E.O. chapter will hold a fundraiser from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Grace Church in Buena Vista to support women's scholarships. Early bird admission begins at 7:30 a.m., and the event will feature a book sale with all proceeds benefiting the scholarship fund.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed a court brief with the U.S. Supreme Court challenging a Colorado case that centers on whether a Catholic parish can discriminate in admissions to its publicly funded preschool program. The case will test Colorado's universal preschool nondiscrimination...
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The Mountain Mail
Red Ladies Rafting earns spot at Worlds in Brazil
The Red Ladies Rafting Team qualified for the World Championships in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil on November 27-29 after winning first place in two events at the National competition in California in mid-August. Despite training challenges from low water on the Arkansas River and having to use...
Spartan golfers aim to lower averages, improve scoring, Gardunio says
The Salida High School boys' golf team is working to lower scoring averages so players can qualify for the state tournament, where the top 80 scores will compete. Head coach Phil Gardunio noted the team has strong veteran players like Ryus Mattix along with promising freshmen, though they need to...
Trustees approve all, will take action on wildfire code next month
Poncha Springs trustees unanimously approved all agenda items on August 25, including a rezoning request for the Poncha Meadows development to allow smaller lots and more affordable housing. Trustees also verbally committed to voting on a new wildfire resiliency code at their next meeting, with...
Hospital hears positive finance update, construction progresses
Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center reported strong financial performance at the Salida Hospital District Board meeting on August 25, with net operating income running $3.5 million ahead of budget for 2026. The hospital's expansion project continues to progress, with the east wing framing...
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