News

Salida, CO – The City of Salida’s Public Art Commission (PAC) is moving forward with its first large-scale public art project, which will feature the first contemporary sculpture to be installed in Salida. The call for proposals for the project was issued in June 2023, and the selected artist, Ed Haddaway, is now working on the installation as weather conditions allow. The sculpture is titled Early Morning Walk and will be placed in a highly visible outdoor space near the Monarch Spur Trail at the entrance to the downtown business district and the Creative Arts District, adjacent to the downtown skate park and Highway 291.

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Click HERE to see the press release for the Community Awards on February 28, 2025 from 5:30-8:00pm at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds.
Visit this page to see all the details, submit nominations, and purchase tickets!

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Please read this article from the City of Salida Finance Director regarding information about ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of our community.

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A new year will be here soon and now is a great time to pull your Strategic Action Plan together!

Take action and book your complimentary one-hour strategic coaching session that will jump start your 2025 plan. The effort will leave you feeling even more focused and ready to address any concerns you may have about the future.

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Applications are open for the first cohort of the Emerging Early Childhood Educators Program. If you have ever been interested in becoming an Early Childhood Professional and serving the children of Chaffee County please contact Sarah Romack at (719) 221-5114 or email her at sromack@ccecc.org. This program includes 18 credits of free ECE courses at CMC, coaching, career navigation and experience in an early childhood center.

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Ark-Valley Humane Society received a $30,000 grant for animal medical care and expenses from the Ray Foundation.

“We are immensely grateful for this substantial grant funding from the Ray Foundation. Thanks to this generous support, hundreds of cats and dogs will receive life-saving veterinary care this year,” said Executive Director, Nikki Ritter. “Importantly, it will allow us to continue our efforts to fight pet overpopulation through our spay and neuter efforts, and will help to ensure that every animal in our care receives quality medical care, including vaccinations, microchipping, diagnostics, and medications. We are excited for all of the animals that will benefit from this support.”

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The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) is reporting a substantial rise in respiratory illnesses, notably influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Increasing respiratory illnesses are affecting both Colorado and the broader United States, and rates of illness may continue to increase over the upcoming weeks. The CDC monitors respiratory illness activity using the “acute respiratory illness” metric, which currently categorizes Colorado at a high level.
Click Read more to see the Press Release.

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The Colorado Department of Transportation’s Bustang Outrider bus service connects rural Colorado to cities throughout the state. Outrider services eight routes across the state, including the Alamosa—Pueblo route.

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The Chaffee Housing Authority invites you to participate in an important survey regarding affordable housing issues and a potential ballot measure this November. Click Read more to see how to participate in the survey.

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Kayla Malone, Chaffee County’s Noxious Weed Department Director, has been named the 2024 Colorado Weed Manager of the Year in recognition of her “excellence in education and management of noxious weed species.” Kayla joined the County as assistant weed program supervisor in spring 2016 and was soon promoted to the Weed Department manager in December 2016, where she has led treatment of invasive plant species across Chaffee and Lake Counties for the past 8 years.

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Updated on Nov. 22, Chaffee County Public Health (CCPH) is excited to announce the completion of its Access to Healthcare Survey which was conducted in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Chaffee County.  The survey, which was open from May 15th through July 31st, 2024, is meant to capture the strengths and opportunities for improvement of our local healthcare system while also giving valuable feedback to healthcare stakeholders so that they can make informed and strategic decisions about future programming and systems.  CCPH received 1273 full responses to the survey and collected copious amounts of qualitative data.  One key highlight is that all healthcare sectors were rated over 4.0 on a 5.0 scale.  Another important point to note is that while there are significant perceived needs that exist related to the healthcare landscape in Chaffee County, overall, 76% of respondents said they are satisfied with their physical health while 80% state the same about their mental health. 

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The Chaffee Housing Authority, in cooperation with the City of Salida, is asking short term rental owners and vacation home owners within the City of Salida and the surrounding area to transition their short-term rentals, rarely-used vacation homes, unoccupied accessory dwelling units, or other under-used houses to a long-term rental for local workforce. If you or someone you know has a housing unit that is generally empty or generally hosts out-of-town visitors, the Chaffee Housing Authority would happily match your home with members of the local workforce who are unable to find rental homes in this unprecedented rental market. More information can be found by visiting the Chaffee Housing Authority’s website at www.chaffeehousingauthority.org and select the Open Doors Program for more information and to apply to participate in the program. 

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Chaffee Chips recently wrapped up its fifth year hosting wildfire mitigation events by removing the final slash piles from Granite Parkway northwest of Poncha Springs. Nearly 500 slash piles were removed during four events that took place across the county this year, from Game Trail to Chalk Creek to areas near Poncha Springs.

Since the program’s inception, 860 landowners have spent 9,850 hours creating 2,770 slash piles. Thank you to each resident who did the hard work of felling trees, trimming branches and piling slash neatly near their curbs.

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Click to see News, Press Releases, and updates from the Forest Service.

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Free basic medical, dental, and harm-reduction services. Salida United Methodist Church on Mondays from 12-4pm and Buena Vista Community Center on Tuesdays from 1-4pm. No appointment necessary.

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Heart of the Rockies Radio is climbing higher in 2025 with the team you trust to support local businesses and strengthen our community. Thank you for making us the heart of your listening experience. Let’s make 2025 a majestic year!

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Adults & Children Ages 5+…Give us a try!

Your first 2 classes are FREE! Visit highcountryjiujitsu.com or call 571-334-8719

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FREE CAR SEATS!

“Dad’s” Car Seat Program continues at the Salida Pregnancy Resource Center. We still have car seats to gift to Dads for infants up to one year of age in the Salida, Buena Vista, and surrounding areas. To register for the program, contact the Salida Pregnancy Resource Center at 719-539-7436 or visit the Center at 215 East Third Street. The Center is open Monday 10-3p, Wednesday 12-5p, Thursday 12-5p, Friday 11-4p, closed on Tuesday and Federal Holidays. To read the full press release, click here!

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AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW WITH US!  We are SERVPRO in Salida, and we’re seeking an able-bodied individual for the position of Restoration Technician.  If you have basic computer skills and if you have some hands-on experience in any of the following:  emergency clean-up services, construction, building maintenance, janitorial, carpet cleaning, painting, landscaping, or another property service and are willing to learn, this could be your ideal opportunity. 

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If you are a business owner looking to retire in the next few years, you’ll be happy to know that there are more options now than ever. Most folks try to sell their business to a manager, someone in town, or even someone looking to move into town. When those buyers just aren’t there or can’t afford it, selling the business can feel impossible. A great option to consider is selling it to multiple employees at once. One employee might find ownership expensive and a big burden, but 3 or more employees getting together can open up new doors. The state of Colorado has funding to help rural businesses explore and implement this option, through a statewide nonprofit: the Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center. There are already hundreds of businesses in the state that continue to be successful after selling to employees. Give Marion a call or send her an email, the Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center will be happy to chat with you at no cost. They also hold monthly webinars and have online resources if you would like to know a little more first. 

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Stand-Up for Mental Health is a night of laughter and connection, blending comedy and storytelling to spark hope and support mental health at A Church on Tuesday, February 25.

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