The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Thursday (April 14, 2016) from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m. for most of eastern Colorado including Kiowa County to due high fire danger.

In addition to Kiowa County, all or most of the eastern counties are under the warning. Only Baca and Prowers counties are completely excluded.

Temperatures will be in the upper 70s to low 80s across the region, with south winds 15 to 30 miles per hour, gusting to 40 mph. Relative humidity is expected to drop as low as 12 percent.

While some uncertainty about details remain, confidence is growing that a storm system bringing much-needed moisture will impact a large portion of Colorado, including the eastern plains and Kiowa County, beginning Friday afternoon.

An upper low pressure system drops into northern Arizona Friday afternoon and begins slowly moving across northern New Mexico, bringing snow, rain and thunderstorms to the mountains and spreading to the eastern plains.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and members of Colorado’s federal delegation this week sent a letter to the Environmental Protectional Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy asking for additional support for the Bonita Peak Mining District. Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner, and Congressman Scott Tipton joined Hickenlooper on the letter in support of the local communities including the Towns of Silverton and Durango, San Juan and La Plata Counties.

Hundreds of high school students flooded the Lamar Community College campus April 6, 2016, to participate in the FFA Career Development Day.  A record number of students participated in the event with over 700 students from 36 schools from across the state.  Students gained a wealth of experience in their areas of competition and the twelve high winners each received a $500 scholarship to LCC.

Students competed in a wide range of activities ranging from Ag Sales to Floriculture to Veterinary Science. 

Population drives water use, and the population in the Arkansas River Basin will likely increase 80 percent by the year 2050. Even if all proposed water projects in the basin are developed, the supply will not meet the needs of growing cities, towns and industries.

A number of experts in water-related fields will discuss solutions to this issue at the Arkansas River Basin Water Forum April 27-28 in Salida.

What better payment than those "Yummy in the Tummy” cookies and some giggles with a friend.

Thank You Gloria

By Doris Lessenden

‘I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Lance Duane Wall, 45, of Deer Trail, Colorado, passed away on Wednesday, April 6, 2016, at Parker Adventist Hospital in Parker, Colorado.

From our print archives.

15 yrs

April 20, 2001

Representatives of EagleVision went before the Eads Town Board to solicit the board’s intrest in buying the Eads portion of the company’s  cable television system.

25 years

April 18, 1991

Farmers Union members were sending their “slice of  bread” with a card that reads “Farmers need a bigger slice!” to their Congressperson.

40 years