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. 

Millions of people woke up this morning to learn that, for the fourth time in 2018, they didn’t win the big lottery jackpot – and it’s only the first week of January!

As the snow packs in on the mountains surrounding Estes Park, recreationalists in Rocky Mountain National Park begin trading in their hiking boots for snowshoes and skis. Although this winter equipment gives people an advantage when traveling over snow, you can never be too prepared in the winter time. Among the additional risks during Colorado’s cold weather months are avalanche and hypothermia.

With the retirement of Vice President Cheryl Sanchez, Lamar Community College will be hosting finalists for the position of Vice President of Academic and Student Services January 18-19.

LCC President Linda Lujan stated, “I am very grateful for VP Sanchez’s dedicated service and look forward to finding just the right individual to replace her. The screening committee was quite pleased with the large and competitive pool of applicants and spent considerable time throughout the search process working to identify strong finalists.”

Women and supporters from Southern Colorado will march and rally for women’s rights in Pueblo January 20, starting at noon. Participants will meet in front of the old courthouse, 215 W. 10^th Street, Pueblo.

Mountain areas of Colorado, particularly the western half of the state, will continue to see wintery conditions through midday Sunday. The plains will remain largely dry, with above-average temperatures.

Eastern Plains

Snow clears out of the eastern mountains by midday, though roads may remain slick. The plains remain relatively warm Sunday, with highs in the upper 40s for the northeast, and low 50s for the southeastern part of the state. A north wind in the 15 to 25 miles per hour range will continue for a few hours as a front pushes through.