2025 was an interesting year in Pagosa Country. There was no want for good news, bad news, controversial issues, and no lack of interesting news to keep SUN readers focused on local events, situations and personalities.
The SUN is taking a look back at some of those events, selected by SUN staff writers. This week, we look back at July, August and September.
July
• A number of area agencies implemented fire restrictions due to high fire danger effective July 1.
• The Archuleta School District (ASD) Board of Education held a work session on July 1 at which the board was presented with initial results from a community poll, surveying 300 registered voters throughout the county to gauge the community’s knowledge and perception of the district and its current facility needs, along with testing potential ballot language for voters to decide on a future bond issue for new school facilities.
• Numerous Fourth of July events were held over the patriotic holiday weekend, among them the inaugural Stars and Strips Stroll, a fireworks display, Freedom Float, Pagosa Springs Community Band concert, Park to Park Artisan Market and 75th annual Red Ryder Roundup Rodeo.
According to a report provided by Tourism Director Jennifer Green, 62,700 visitors visited the area between July 2 and July 6.
• In July, the Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce announced it had chosen Sandy Douthey to be the next executive director of the Chamber following Mary Jo Coulehan’s retirement at the end of the year.
• Archuleta County Development Director Pamela Flowers and Building Code Official Tony Medved both submitted resignation letters from their respective positions on July 14.
Flowers’ resignation letter was effective immediately, while Medved indicated his final working day for the county would be July 25.
• Pagosa Country continued to experience warm, dry weather over in mid-July, with multiple fires caused by lightning being combated by fire management officials and smoke from regional fires continuing to move into the area. The conditions led the U.S. Forest Service to expand fire restrictions July 15.
• The Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) held a special meeting on July 22, at which the board approved Resolution 2025-40, approving donating and transferring 11 county-owned lots on Bonita Drive to the Archuleta County Housing Authority for the purpose of developing workforce and low-income housing.
• The majority of Pagosa Country experienced some level of precipitation moving into the second half of the month, with the heaviest rainfall amounts recorded on July 22.
From July 22 through July 23, the heaviest amount of rainfall reported in Archuleta County was near the Pagosa Lakes area with a report of 1.54 inches.
• The Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD) Board of Directors voted at a July 31 special meeting to immediately enter stage two drought under the district’s drought management plan due to low water levels in area rivers and other concerns.
• The 74th annual Archuleta County Fair kicked off July 31. The year’s Archuleta County Fair Royalty Court was Princess Sophia Ellis, Queen Olivia Mazur and Junior Princess Nora Forrest. The Super Volunteer was Ashley Torres, and Lisa Vail was honored as Super Superintendent.
August
• The Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library held a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 1 celebrating its $5 million expansion and renovation project.
• In early August, Emiliano Martinez, 8, placed second overall in the Drive, Chip and Putt held at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course in Albuquerque, N.M. He placed first in the putting discipline and second in the chipping discipline, earning a spot to compete in Hawaii in October.
• Archuleta County joined the San Juan National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) by implementing Stage 1 fire restrictions effective Aug. 5.
• On Aug. 5, the Pagosa Springs Town Council approved the first reading an ordinance calling for a coordinated election and setting the ballot language to ask the town’s voters for a 1 percent town-only sales tax to address issues with its sewer system.
An agenda document on the matter states, “The sewer system is failing and needs funding for repairs, wastewater treatment plant, and possible reuse system.”
• During its regular meeting on Aug. 5, the BoCC unanimously approved entering into a lease agreement with Wyndham Vacation Resorts Inc. for temporary office space for multiple county offices.
• During the same meeting, the BoCC approved a contract with AEC-West Consultants to assist the county with building inspections and plan reviews to help the county keep up with plan reviews following resignations in the planning and building departments.
• The Forest Service announced on Aug. 7 that, based on recent wildfire activity and persistent severe fire weather conditions, San Juan National Forest fire management staff would be implementing Stage 2 fire restrictions, including for the wilderness, on Aug. 8.
The BLM implemented Stage 2 restrictions effective Aug. 8 for public lands administered by the Tres Rios office, including within Archuleta County.
• The 22nd annual Knights of Columbus Duck Race took place at Yamaguchi Park on Aug. 9.
• What began as an illegal burn that took place during a Stage 1 fire ban on Aug. 10 turned into a 75-acre wildfire that prompted the mandatory evacuation of 144 residential structures for roughly 70 hours.
The Oak Fire, began on Aug. 10, with the first call at about 1:15 p.m. By 2:28 p.m., an evacuation order had been issued for residents in the area, with that order then expanded. A reported 320 parcels were included in the mandatory evacuation zone. An estimated 300 people were displaced.
A pre-evacuation notice for the area stretching along U.S. 160 to North Pagosa Boulevard and Martinez Canyon was issued at 5:29 p.m. that evening.
At 8:20 p.m. that night, it was announced that Gov. Jared Polis had verbally declared an emergency to support response efforts for the fire and authorized the use of the Colorado National Guard as needed.
• On Aug. 11, the Town of Pagosa Springs issued an emergency order imposing Stage 1 fire restrictions within the town limits.
• According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Piedra River near Arboles set a record low flow level on Aug. 13, flowing at 7.64 cubic feet per second (cfs). The previous record low flow for Aug. 13 was set in 2018 at a rate of 15.6 cfs, while the record high was set in 1999 at 818 cfs.
The San Juan River also tied a record low flow on Aug. 11, when the river was measured at 13 cfs, matching the record low for that date, which was set in 2002.
• Colorado Department of Transportation and town officials discussed the ongoing U.S. 160 reconstruction project with members of the community at an Aug. 13 open house. As of that day, the project was 30 percent complete, with the goal being 50 percent completion by the end of 2025.
• The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate golf team teed off its 2025 season on Aug. 15, landing first place at the Alamosa Invitational.
• Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested two male suspects — Sergio Alaniz Jr., 41, and Ross Heirigs, 60 — in connection with the Oak Fire on Aug. 17.
Charges were later filed on Aug. 27. The cases are ongoing.
• Archuleta County Manager Jack Harper’s resignation was unanimously accepted during the Aug. 19 BoCC meeting.
Following an executive session that was convened for legal advice and personnel matters, the board directed staff to hold a conversation and announced that the regular meeting would be recessed for about 15 minutes.
After calling the meeting back to order, Commissioner Veronica Medina explained that, according to staff, Harper would be resigning. The board then voted unanimously to accept his resignation.
• On Aug. 19, staff from the town’s Parks and Recreation Department presented an opportunity to the town council for the expansion of Reservoir Hill Park.
Parks Director Darren Lewis and Recreation Supervisor Amanda Gadomski described it as an “opportunity to conserve Reservoir Hill” to protect “a community treasure for future generations.”
It was explained the acquisition of land would come through grants and private donors.
• On Aug. 19, the town council approved the second reading of an ordinance calling for the coordinated election and setting the language appearing on the ballot.
• On Aug. 20, Polis appointed Justin P. Fay to the 6th Judicial District Court, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Suzanne F. Carlson. Fay’s appointment would be effective Oct. 1.
• The BoCC held a meeting on Aug. 20 at which the BoCC invited builders and developers in the county to provide input on the county’s Development Services Department on areas it needs to improve, as well as what the department does well.
• On Aug. 25, ASD’s Master Plan Advisory Committee and members of the Board of Education heard polling results from a community poll and initial site analysis information that included potential design layouts, assessed access points. The group also weighed pros and cons of building a pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade building on either ASD’s property located uptown along Vista Boulevard or downtown on the high school campus property.
• Following an executive session on Aug. 26, the BoCC unanimously approved appointing Public Works Director Mike Torres as the interim county manager effective Aug. 27.
September
• Sept. 2 was the start of the new school year for the bulk of Archuleta School District students.
• The ASD board held a special meeting on Sept. 2 to cancel the school board election and deem David Iverson, Butch Mackey and Tim Taylor elected by acclamation after no more than three qualified as candidates.
Taylor will serve a four-year term representing District 1. Mackey will serve a four-year term representing District 5. Iverson will serve a two-year term representing District 4.
• With the region receiving increased moisture, all area fire restrictions were rescinded effective Sept. 5.
• On Sept. 5, the BoCC unanimously approved a contract for services with ECOnorthwest for the creation of the Regional Housing Strategy Plan.
• In September, it was announced that the Pagosa Springs Smashers Special Olympics softball team took second in its division in the New Mexico Four Corners State Invitational Softball Tournament. Also representing the Smashers, Jase Mills took first place in his division.
• Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser visited Pagosa Springs on Sept. 10 for a community meeting. Weiser answered questions that touched upon immigration protection, broadband access, voter redistricting, state minimum wage requirements, ways to support politicians without donations, federal water quality requirements being proposed and other topics.
• The BoCC held a second meeting for builders and developers on Sept. 10, at which Building Official Randy Betts explained that the county is getting back on track with getting building plans turned out in 15 days or less.
• At a Sept. 11 meeting, the PAWSD board approved capital investment fee waivers for an affordable housing project by Habitat for Humanity of Archuleta County and denied them for two others — the Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation and a private developer.
• Areas of Archuleta County received upwards of 2 inches of rain last in mid-September, leaving parts of the county experiencing flooding and mudslides. Colo. 151 between U.S. 160 and Arboles was closed for approximately 3.5 hours on Sept. 12 while maintenance crews cleared the road after flash flooding. Archuleta County reported flooding and mudslide issues from the Carracas area to Colo. 151.
As of Sept. 17, sites around Archuleta Country reported between 1.87 inches (between downtown and uptown Pagosa Springs) and 3.68 inches (east of Chromo) of rain received so far in September, besting the month’s average of about 2 inches.
• A crowd gathered at Town Park the afternoon of Sept. 14, holding a prayer vigil and tribute for Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at a college campus in Utah.
• On Sept. 16, the town council voted to accept a new geothermal water rate study after seeking the new study “to identify the revenue requirements to operate and maintain the geothermal system, given the recently identified capital projects … as the system has largely reached the end of its useful life,” according to the study.
• Dozens of hot air balloons took to the sky downtown on Sept. 20 and 21, part of the 39th annual ColorFest festivities.
• Students, staff and community members celebrated the opening of Pagosa Peak Open School’s newly redesigned and rebuilt “Playground for the People” on Sept. 26.
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