Local News
As Archuleta County moves from immediate disaster response into long-term flood recovery, the Disaster Assistance Center (DAC) in Pagosa Springs closed Wednesday, Nov. 11. Plans are underway to open …
Local News
CenturyLink/Lumen is required to perform a preemptive cut and splice of the main fiber optic line between Pagosa and Durango tomorrow evening (11/12/2026 7pm-11pm) to avoid a unplanned outage at a …
Outdoors
The San Juan National Forest is planning to burn slash piles this fall and winter. Forest Service officials estimate this work may continue through early spring, as conditions allow. …
Business
On Oct. 29, Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) released the Colorado Geothermal Market Assessment report at the 2026 National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), which …
Outdoors
In November, Weminuche Audubon members begin planning for the annual Christmas Bird Count in December. Will we be wearing parkas or shorts this year when we’re out tallying all the birds we …
Outdoors
Pagosa Weather forecasters Shawn and Arleen Prochazka will help the community prepare for winter by hosting their second annual Winter Weather Wonder event on Friday, Nov. 13, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. …
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Local News

Sheriff's Office shares Nov. 10 flood update

Continuing our response: reaching residents and assessing the damage Today brought another day of meaningful progress throughout Archuleta County as crews continued reaching isolated residents, …
Local News

Governor provides update on flooding in Southwestern Colorado, shares resources to support impacted Coloradans

Today, Governor Polis provided an update on Colorado’s ongoing response to severe flooding across southwestern Colorado. Several state agencies including the Colorado Department of Labor and …
Local News

CDOT prioritizes critical flood repairs ahead of holiday travel

CDOT Photo | Reconstruction of CO 151 is happening around the clock to restore critical access for commuters between Pagosa Springs and Durango. A newly built road is anticipated to be completed …
Severe flood damage to the Piedra River bridge, approximately 18 miles west of Pagosa Springs, has cut off U.S. 160 access between Pagosa and Durango.
Local News

CDOT offers update on area highway repairs

Representatives from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) offered additional information on the timing of reopening area highways during a Tuesday afternoon briefing, including voicing a …
A photo shows where the First Fork Road in the Pagosa Ranger District completely washed away.
Outdoors

Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers refunds to fourth rifle season hunters in flood-impacted units

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will extend refund opportunities to hunters in numerous Game Management Units (GMUs) directly impacted by historic flooding in southwest Colorado. Major highway closures …
Community

Oktoberfest fundraiser rescheduled

Due to the recent weather, Our Savior Lutheran School has rescheduled its Oktoberfest fundraiser. The event will now take place on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 5 to 9 p.m. Due to the …
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Community

Blood donations needed: Drive set for Nov. 18

Holiday travel, winter weather, seasonal illnesses,and busy year-end schedules often result in fewer blood donations during the winter months. Patient needs, however, don’t take a holiday. …
Local News

Sheriff's Office issues Nov. 9 flood update

Continuing our response: important progress and the road ahead Today brought another day of progress throughout Archuleta County as crews continued reaching isolated …
Local News

Preliminary damage assessments to begin Nov. 10 across southwest Colorado

Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments will be conducted Tuesday, November 10 through Thursday, November 12 across southwest Colorado in Archuleta, Conejos, La Plata, Mineral, Montezuma and Rio Grande …
Education

Archuleta School District schools to reopen Tuesday, Nov. 10

Archuleta School District schools will reopen tomorrow, on Tuesday, Nov. 10. At this point, town Public Works officials have completed needed repairs to the sewer system, downtown conditions …
Local News

Department of Revenue announces tax relief for those impacted by southwestern Colorado flooding

Following the recent flooding in southwestern Colorado, the Department of Revenue is helping affected businesses by offering tax extensions. More time to file and pay taxes The Department …
Local News

Mandatory evacuations lifted throughout Archuleta County following devastating flooding

The Archuleta County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) announces that all mandatory evacuation orders related to the recent flooding have been lifted throughout Archuleta County, effective Nov. 9. While …
Volunteers ready to prepare this year’s Community Thanksgiving Meal, to be served by St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church on Thursday, Nov. 19.
Community

Early Community Thanksgiving Meal set for Nov. 19

Amid the recent difficult days in Pagosa Country, one tradition will continue: The early Pagosa Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be available to all on Thursday, Nov. 19, one week ahead of the …
Community

U.S. Marine Corps birthday celebration planned for Nov. 10

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Pagosa Springs-area Marines and their guests are invited to celebrate the 251st birthday of the United States Marine Corps at Boss Hogg’s Restaurant and Grill, 157 Navajo Trail …
Local News

Sheriff’s office issues Nov. 8 flooding update

Continuing Our Response: Preparing for the Days Ahead Today, our teams continued working throughout the area to reach residents, assess changing conditions, and prepare for the challenges ahead …
This week’s Bird of the Week, compliments of the Weminuche Audubon Society and Audubon Rockies, is the Wilson’s snipe. Despite being one of the most common and widespread shorebirds in North America, this bird can be difficult to spot. Its cryptic coloring and secretive nature can have you looking right at the snipe without actually seeing it. This is a solitary creature of wet fields, bogs and pond edges. It avoids areas of tall, dense vegetation, but requires the cover of sedges, rushes and cattails to duck in and hide. Feathers patterned in buff and brown with stripes and bars, which include three long buffy stripes on the back and a striped head, provide camouflage against the muddy edges where the snipe is often found. Without having to perform weight training, this bird develops extra large pectoral muscles that can make up one-quarter of its total weight and give it a pudgy look. These muscles power the straight, strong flight this bird achieves at speeds up to 60 miles per hour, but when a snipe is flushed, it explodes in zigzagging flight that is hard for a predator to track. The term “sniper” was originally given to those British soldiers in the 1770s who were accurate enough shots to successfully hunt the snipe as a game bird. The Wilson’s snipe uses its long, straight bill to probe in the soft mud and detect and capture prey underground. The sensitive and flexible bill tip can feel insect larvae and earthworms that burrow in damp soil and open to slurp them up with the bill still buried. Eyes set far back on its head provide the snipe with vision to the front, sides and back, even while feeding with its bill buried in the mud. The haunting winnowing sound associated with the Wilson’s snipe during courtship is not a vocalization, but instead is produced in flight by air rushing over the spread outer tail feathers. Renowned wildlife recordist Kevin Colver introduced it as “A bewildering, wavering sound drifts from everywhere and yet from nowhere.” The Wilson’s snipe is still common enough that it is one of only two shorebird species allowed to be hunted in the United States. Over half of the 35 shorebird species found in North America are in trouble. Unregulated hunting on their wintering grounds may be a factor in population declines. For information on events, visit www.weminucheaudubon.org and www.facebook.com/weminucheaudubon/.
Bird of the Week

Bird of the Week

Artist's Lane

It’s a little too late

I didn’t know where our conversation would lead. I’m not an alarmist, I’m pretty peaceful. I always feel great. No problem. Apparently, I have severe arthritis in both hips. They are shot …
Local News

Sheriff’s office issues Nov. 7 flood update

Incident Management Team: An Important Transition in Our Response Today marks an important transition for the Incident Management Team (IMT) supporting our response to the devastating flooding …

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Obituaries
 Wayne Justus
1952–2026 Celebrated Western artist Wayne Justus, 73, passed away peacefully at home on Nov. 4, 2026. For more than five decades, Wayne captured the spirit of the American West through …
Ben L. Lynch
Longtime Pagosa resident Ben Lynch passed away peacefully on Friday, Nov. 6, at Mercy Hospice in Durango, Colo. Ben was born and raised in Pagosa Springs and was very proud of his hometown and his …
John Judson Taylor
The family of John Judson Taylor would like to let the community know of his passing on Nov. 5, 2026. Obituary and celebration of life details to follow.
Alva Lee Cox
8/5/37-10/27/26 Born at home in Pagosa Springs, Colo., Lee’s heart never strayed far from that place of his origin. Named for his granddad, Alvie Patterson, and his dad, Lee Cox, he was a …
Andy Ray David Rivas
Andy Ray David Rivas was called home on Oct. 21, 2026. Andy was born on Sept. 23, 1975, to Marie Ann Valdez and Henry Carl Rivas. Andy was truly a kindred spirit and was loved by all who met …
Denise (Lihme) McCroddan
Denise (Lihme) McCroddan, age 85, of Springdale, Ark., was called home to be with the Lord on Oct. 31, 2026. Born in Elgin, Ill., on June 7, 1941, Denise dedicated her life to Christ as a teenager …

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