Dear EarthTalk: How do environmentalists feel about the amount of packaging waste consumers have to deal with now that holiday shopping has largely switched over from retail shops to online stores?                                                             &n

Are you interested in a healthier lifestyle? Are you curious about the Mediterranean Diet? Mediterranean Diet: A dietary pattern for healthy living will be offered by Colorado State University Extension - Pueblo County January 24 from 1:00-4:00 pm.

Participants will learn strategies to incorporate Mediterranean foods and habits into their lifestyle. 

Topics covered include

Are you looking to escape the cold and hit the beach this winter? On a snowy day, soaking up some sun in a tropical location sounds pretty nice!

When planning a winter getaway, it is important to remember that scam artists are out there looking to take advantage of deal-seeking travelers. Watch out for these red flags that may indicate a travel scam:

You get a call from someone claiming to be a federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent and they are seeking immediate payment of taxes they claim you owe. The phony agents use intimidation tactics such as threats of arrest, liens on property, deportation, or driver’s license revocation to scare consumers into making payments or disclosing personal information. The imposters often have just enough personal information to convince a taxpayer they are legitimate.

The Bent's Fort Chapter of the Santa Fe Trail Association annual meeting will be held January 13 at the JW Rawlings Heritage Center and Museum, 560 Bent Avenue, in Las Animas.  The general meeting will begin at 11:00 a.m., followed by a catered lunch.  The meeting will include the election of officers for 2018, announcement of the Member of the Year, a review of upcoming field trips and presentations in 2018, and an update on the 2021 Santa Fe Trail Association Symposium.

Published by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, and presented by Kaiser Permanente, the Colorado Farm Fresh Directory promotes Colorado farmers’ markets, roadside stands, u-picks, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) producers, agritourism activities and farms and ranches that sell direct to the public. The 2018 edition is being organized, and producers are encouraged to submit their information for inclusion.

A good scripture verse to guide you, Reader, in the New Year is: Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct your paths.”

June Blooding

March 26, 1926 – January 2, 2018

Gloria June (June) Barnes was born on March 26, 1926, in Wanette, Oklahoma, to Dulcie D. and Ralph A. Barnes. She was of Pottawatomie Indian heritage and her paternal grandmother was instrumental in registering family descendants with the Federal Indian Agency. June’s Indian name was Ogemakwe which translates to Wise One. She was the oldest of three children.