Pagosa County has seen consistent steady rainfall over the last week, causing record flows on the Piedra and San Juan rivers. In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Sept. 29, the San Juan River …
Ballots for the Nov. 3 general election will be mailed to active registered voters beginning Monday, Oct. 5. The election will be a mail-ballot election in accordance with Colorado law. …
Week of Oct. 5-9 Work activity Note: All work is subject to weather conditions. Crews may work consistent weekends, especially when work cannot be completed during the weekdays due to …
The Pagosa Springs Town Council and Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) discussed the status of a potential road access closure to Country Center Drive off of North Pagosa Boulevard …
The Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD) Board of Directors pondered the district’s 2027 budgetary problems with increasing costs, potential cuts and rate increases at its Sept. 24 …
As we mentioned last week, Monday, Sept. 28, was World News Day, and, among other things, it was a day to celebrate and focus on the fact that journalism, especially local journalism, is a vital part …

Looking Back: October 1, 2026

Legacies: October 1, 2026

100 years ago Taken from SUN files of October 1, 1926 Work on the gravel walk on Hermosa street and the concrete walk on east Pagosa street is progressing in splendid shape. The New …

San Juan Conservation District urges local farmers and ranchers to apply for historic new state ag stewardship tax credit

The San Juan Conservation District is urging agricultural producers and landowners across Archuleta, Hinsdale and Mineral counties to prepare for a historic funding opportunity.   Starting …

Chamber to host Small Business Development Center Advising Day

The Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to host an upcoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Advising Day on Oct. 19, giving local entrepreneurs, prospective business owners …

Colorado Creates Grants awarded to 187 arts organizations

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced 187 new recipients …

State Unit on Aging designates Region 9 Economic Development District as Area Agency on Aging for five Southwest Colorado counties

On Thursday, Sept. 24, the Region 9 Economic Development District voted to accept the designation from the Colorado Department of Human Services’ (CDHS’) State Unit on Aging (SUA) as the Area …

Department of State’s Electronic Recording Technology Board awards more than $3 million to 33 counties, including Archuleta

The Colorado Department of State’s Electronic Recording Technology Board (ERTB) awarded more than $3.3 million in grants to counties across Colorado during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Included …

Commissioners discuss possible bus grant, service to Durango

Archuleta County Transportation Coordinator Andrew Mylroie recently spoke to the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) during a work session held on Tuesday, Sept. 15, in regard to a grant award the …

History and connection converge for special hunt

Noella Sarnow is 17 and a senior in high school. Without telling her, I put her in for an S31 Rocky Mountain bighorn ram tag in the South San Juans.   According to Colorado Parks and …

GOAL High School earns Microsoft Showcase School recognition for eighth year

GOAL High School has once again been recognized as a Microsoft Showcase School, marking the eighth consecutive year the school has received the distinction.   GOAL first earned the …

Commissioners deny liquor permit for special event at 84 Ranch

During a regular meeting held on Tuesday, Sept. 15, the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) unanimously approved a motion to deny a special event liquor permit for an event to be …

Town council considers budget at two work sessions, poised to adopt on Oct. 6

The Pagosa Springs Town Council held two work sessions for its 2027 budget on Sept. 21 and Sept. 22. The work sessions took place after the council heard the initial budget proposal at its Sept. …

San Juan Water Conservancy District considers draft budget

At its Sept. 21 meeting, the San Juan Water Conservancy District (SJWCD) Board of Directors approved a draft 2027 budget for publication. SJWCD treasurer Joe Tedder explained that he approached …

Pirates take down Basalt, move to 3-3 on the season

The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate football team evened out its record on Saturday, Sept. 26, taking down the Basalt Longhorns by a score of 21-16. The Pirates now own a 3-3 overall record, …

Lady Pirates fall to Bloomfield

The Pagosa Springs High School Lady Pirate volleyball team fell to 4-9 after dropping a match to Bloomfield at home earlier this week. The Lady Pirates hosted the Bobcats on Monday, Sept. 28, …

Pirates snap win streak with loss to Panthers

The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate boys’ soccer team fell to Montezuma-Cortez in a one-goal game Thursday, Sept. 24, ending their five-game unbeaten streak. The Pirates hosted the Panthers …

Dimond, Pickering qualify for state

Junior Tyler Dimond and sophomore Chatwin Pickering will represent the Pagosa Springs High School Pirate golf team at next week’s state tournament in Alamosa. Dimond qualified as the …

Pirate harriers take first, third at home meet

The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate cross-country teams hosted their home meet, the McGinn Memorial Cross Country Challenge, on Saturday, Sept. 26. Though the race was originally scheduled to …
Obituaries
Joel T. ‘Tom’ Hall
Brig. Gen. (USAF Ret.) Joel T. “Tom” Hall lived a life of service devoted to his country and his family. He passed away quietly in Chandler, Ariz., on June 23, 2026, at the age of 90. Born …
Mary Jo Gwaltney
Mary Jo Gwaltney, born Mary Jo Bottoms, passed away on Sept. 3, 2026, in Pagosa Springs, Colo. She was born on Oct. 18, 1944, in Arkansas, and lived a life marked by kindness, devotion to children …
Mary Jean (Potter) Riethmiller
Mary Jean was born in Susquehanna, Penn., on March 27, 1940, to Kenneth and Jessie Potter. She attended schools in New Milford, Penn., until her senior year before moving with family to Columbus, …
Virginia Catherine Snow
Virginia Catherine Snow (née Lowney), 66, of Pagosa Springs, Colo., passed away on Aug. 9, 2026. Born on Dec. 15, 1959, in Sacramento, Calif., Virginia made her home in Pagosa Springs, where she was …
Kennie May Persson
Kennie May Persson (née Parrott) was born May 2,1948, in Denver, Colo., and passed away in Pagosa Springs, Colo., on Aug. 22, 2026, after a brief illness with Alzheimer’s. She passed peacefully …
Gene Doyle Johnson
Gene Doyle Johnson was born Dec. 17, 1931, in Farmersville, Texas. Sadly, Gene passed away Aug. 13, 2026. Gene was the youngest of three children born to Jess T. and Cora Lee Johnson. He is …