So many more people seem to be interested in learning about cottage foods and how to be a part of making and selling their own products under the Cottage Foods Act. If you are one of the people reading this article still asking yourself what a cottage food is, let me help you define that. A “Cottage Food Operation” is a business operated by a person who produces or packages non-potentially hazardous food in a kitchen located in the person’s primary domestic residence or another appropriately equipped residential or commercial-style kitchen on that property.

With wildfires around the state burning forestland and destroying homes, many Coloradans want to know what they can do to help. One way to have a positive impact on affected forests and communities is through the replanting of trees, which is the goal of the donor-driven Restoring Colorado’s Forests Fund.

The Chamber of Commerce usually chooses one person or a couple for this prestigious annual award in our county to honor and say "Thank You" to volunteers.      

The 2018 Colorado State Fair entertainment series is already packed with a variety of acts for the entire family and now, Larry the Cable Guy, Old Dominion, and Lorenzo Antonio with La Sombra De Tony Guerrero has been added to the lineup.  Tickets are now on sale.

Most tickets include gate admission for the opportunity to enjoy a full day at the Fair with no additional cost. For more details, visit our website at www.coloradostatefair.com.  Tickets are now on sale for the following acts:

Extreme drought condition in Southeast Colorado have forced many area producers to file prevent plant claims on land intended for spring crops such as corn, grain sorghum and sunflowers or if the acres were not insured to let them remain in a fallow period.   

Some areas have received moisture following the last plant date for the insured crops and a chance remains that we may receive monsoonal moisture through the second half of July.  

The question becomes “what to do with these fields if moisture is received?”

Thanks to donations, Colorado Operation Game Thief is increasing the reward offer from $1,000 to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest or citation in the case of two mountain goats that were shot and found dead July 3, approximately 2.8 miles up the Quandary Peak Trail.

A meeting of the Lower Arkansas Valley Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council will be held on Tuesday, July 17, Technical Review Committee 10:00 a.m., at the La Junta Senior Center, 102 East 2nd, La Junta CO.

Agenda items will include LAVAAA Provider Budget Update, Older Americans Act Reauthorization Update, and State Unit on Aging and Colorado Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Also, update on 42nd Annual Age Well Eastern Colorado Conference.

The meeting is open to the public, and citizen participation is encouraged.

One of our most popular features for over 17 years - a full-page color photo on the front of the Kiowa County Press showing various impressions of life in Kiowa County and across Colorado.

Copies of the print version of the Kiowa County Press can be purchased each week at Kiowa Healthmart, COOP C-Store in Eads, Haswell Propane, and Thunderbird Petroleum, our at our business office at 1208 Maine Street, Eads.

Birthdays

July 16

• Bob Kliesen* In Memory
• Don Phillips* In Memory
• Easton Gonzales
• Jim Gleason

July 17

• Rooney Fehr
• Lori Healy
• Steve Frederick
• Holli Watson
• John Myskiw
• Vinton Engelhardt
• Ryan Frazee
• Belinda Shelden
• Ralph Berry

July 18

While portions of southeast Colorado border counties showed some improvement in drought conditions, a new area of “exceptional drought” – the worst category – appeared elsewhere in the region.

Eastern Kiowa, Prowers and Baca counties showed improvement over the previous week, moving to moderate and severe drought. A small portion of northeast Kiowa County shifted into abnormally dry conditions, while much of Baca County has shed extreme drought over the past month as early summer storms continue to bring much-needed moisture to the area.