While southwest Colorado continues to suffer under the worst category of drought conditions, the northeast portion of the state showed improvement following an increase in spring rain and thunderstorms.

Abnormally dry conditions continued to recede from the northeast, leaving more than 20 percent of the state free from drought. Moderate drought was also in decline for Adams, Arapahoe and northern Elbert county, moving those areas into abnormally dry conditions. Severe drought dropped to moderate conditions in parts of Elbert and Lincoln counties.

This week at Lamar Theatre

Starts Friday

• Avengers: Infinity War, 6:45 p.m. daily

Coming Soon

• Truth or Dare
• Overboard
• Breaking In
• Life of the Party
• DeadPool 2

Regular pricing Thursday

Breakfast

May 21: Cook’s choice breakfast

May 22: Cook’s choice breakfast

May 23: Cook’s choice breakfast

Lunch

May 21: Sloppy joes. NO salad bar

May 22: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. NO salad bar

May 23: Sack lunches. NO salad bar

Dear Dietitian,

I just read an article that said a permanent 25-30% reduction in caloric intake produces anti-aging benefits and results in a longer lifespan.  Is this true?

--Seth

Dear Seth, 

Let us first define anti-aging.  It is not fewer wrinkles unfortunately; rather, it is slowing down the aging process by decreasing disease. Studies have been performed on animals in which their caloric intake was decreased by about 30%, and the result was a longer lifespan.  But does this transfer to humans?

Members of the Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) met with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue this week at Sakata Farms to discuss the biggest challenges facing their farms. Also participating in the discussion were Governor John Hickenlooper and Colorado Agriculture Commissioner Don Brown.

"Securing qualified, legal labor for relatively short harvest seasons was by far the number one issue discussed with the secretary," said Robert Sakata, Sakata Farms, who is CFVGA president. 

The Lamar Community College Nursing department celebrated the accomplishments of their graduates with the time-honored tradition of the Nurse Pinning earlier this month.

The Nurse Pinning ceremony is a traditional rite of passage that each nursing student completes before entering the profession.  53 students were pinned including 20 from the Level I (Practical Nursing) and 33 from the Level II (Associate Degree in Nursing/Registered Nurse) programs.

There will be fun for the whole family at many Colorado Parks and Wildlife state parks as they celebrate the Colorado Public Lands Day on Saturday, May 19, with a variety of programs and events.

All programs and events are free with a $7 per day park pass or $70 annual pass.

Based on DNA evidence, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is confirming the bear killed by wildlife officers is the same bear responsible for attacking a young girl at her home in East Orchard Mesa early in the morning on Mother's Day.

The animal is described as a two-year-old male, cinnamon-colored black bear, weighing 150 pounds. The necropsy revealed the bear was in good body condition with no signs of diseases. Rabies testing was negative.