Frank V Flohr
Aug 11, 2026
ISSUE #28 · TUESDAY, August 11, 2026
"Inferno at Villa Grove, Data Centers at a Crossroads, and the Fight Over the Valley's Wild Horses"A devastating fire, a valley-wide reckoning over data centers, and the untamed horses still roaming free across the sage 🔥🖥️🐎
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🎁 Subscriber Bonus: Your Free San Luis Valley Restaurant Guide
As a thank-you for being a subscriber to **The San Luis Valley Beat**, we've created a **free San Luis Valley Restaurant Guide** featuring local restaurants from communities across the Valley.
Whether you're searching for your next breakfast stop, a family dinner, a quick lunch, or a place you've never tried before, this guide makes it easy to discover great local dining options.
This is just the beginning. We'll continue updating the guide as new restaurants are added and information changes, so you'll always have access to the latest edition.
Thank you for supporting local businesses and The San Luis Valley Beat! |
Good Tuesday morning from the San Luis Valley!
This is a heavier issue than usual. Villa Grove lost one of its landmark businesses to a fast-moving fire last week, and Rio Grande County just handed down a sweeping moratorium on new data center development as similar debates play out valley-wide.
We're also looking at the free-roaming horses that still turn up along Valley backroads, and taking a history detour to the unincorporated village of Los Sauces down in Conejos County, and out to Orient — a Saguache County ghost town most people only know for its bats.
Let's get to it! |
Rio Grande County has enacted a sweeping one-year moratorium on new data centers, halting development as leaders reassess land use codes and community priorities.
This unanimous move from county commissioners follows rising tension over water supplies, energy use, and the surge of outside interest targeting the San Luis Valley.
Many residents are torn—data centers could spark job growth, but worries persist about potential strains on local resources and changing rural character.
In a strong stance, officials also outright banned large-scale and hyperscale data centers, borrowing clear definitions from the Colorado Municipal League to set new boundaries.
Surrounding counties—including Costilla and Saguache—are enacting similar restrictions, while some places like Alamosa County consider tighter rules but remain open to smaller, less demanding projects.
The region now faces a pivotal moment, aiming to balance economic growth with the protection of limited water and land. Read More... |
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This newsletter sponsored by |
Rachel’s Keep On Keepin’ On & Coffee — A South Fork Original |
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Some businesses seem to fit their communities so naturally that, after a while, it’s hard to imagine the town without them. Rachel’s Keep On Keepin’ On & Coffee in South Fork is one of those places.
What began with a used food truck and a determined San Luis Valley entrepreneur has grown into one of South Fork’s most distinctive local businesses.
Owner Rachel Davie started Keep On Keepin’ On in 2015 after purchasing a used food truck in Denver and bringing it home to South Fork. With roots in the San Luis Valley’s farming and ranching community and a culinary education behind her, Rachel set out to create something that reflected both her background and her own personality.
And she certainly succeeded.
Rachel’s isn’t a cookie-cutter coffee shop or restaurant. It’s colorful, eclectic, welcoming and unmistakably local. Over the years, customers have stopped in for coffee, breakfast burritos, burgers and other hearty fare, while travelers passing through South Fork have discovered a place with considerably more character than the typical roadside stop.
From the beginning, Rachel has also embraced the idea of knowing where food comes from. Her farming background helped inspire a farm-to-table approach, including growing some of the ingredients used in her cooking.
But perhaps the best description of the business is right there in its name.
Keep On Keepin’ On.
It’s more than a catchy name. It reflects a philosophy familiar to anyone who has built a small business in a rural community: you work hard, adapt when things don’t go according to plan, and keep moving forward.
More than a decade after Rachel first brought that food truck home to South Fork, she’s still doing exactly that.
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Preserving the stories of places time forgot.
Orient: The Ghost Town That Belongs to the Bats Now
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Orient: The Ghost Town That Belongs to the Bats NowMost ghost towns in this section are quiet. Orient, tucked in the hills east of Villa Grove, is anything but — at least for three months a year.
The Orient Mine was discovered in 1870 and quickly became one of the largest iron ore producers in the country. From 1880 until the mine finally closed in 1932, Orient produced roughly two million tons of limonite iron ore, and the town that grew up around it became a real place to live, not just a work camp.
At its peak, around 400 people called it home, supported by a library, a barber shop, a school, two restaurants, a 300-person boarding house, a saloon, and a milling company. Then in 1932, the ore played out, the mine closed, and the people left. Orient became one more entry on Colorado's long list of abandoned mining towns.
But Orient didn't stay empty for long — it just changed tenants. In 1967, biologists documented something remarkable happening in the mine's flooded lower shaft, known as the "Glory Hole":
Brazilian free-tailed bats had moved in. Nearly sixty years later, they still do, arriving each June and staying through mid-September. Today an estimated 250,000 bats — one of the largest colonies in Colorado — pour out of the Glory Hole at dusk each summer evening, a spectacle now protected and managed by the Orient Land Trust.
It's a strange kind of second life for a place people once left behind. The library, the boarding house, and the saloon are gone, but Orient never really became silent — it just started keeping different company.
"Some ghost towns are abandoned. Orient just changed who it belongs to." Source: Orient Land Trust, Uncover Colorado |
Villa Grove, often seen as a brief stop for travelers on U.S. Highway 285, is a true community for those who live there—where every building holds a memory and every business a familiar face.
On the night of August 5, a devastating fire swept through the Always Azul Pottery complex and neighboring buildings on the historic Jackman property.
Thick black smoke was visible for miles as firefighters battled intense flames, with limited water supplies making the job even tougher.
The blaze closed Highway 285 and shook the village to its core, though—miraculously—no injuries were reported.
Always Azul Pottery was not just a business but a defining landmark, drawing visitors and shaping the community’s identity for generations.
As Villa Grove begins to recover and investigators look for answers, the town’s enduring spirit shines through—reminding everyone that no blaze can erase the strength of its people. Read More... |
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San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council
This week's Community Spotlight highlights the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council (SLVEC), the Valley's only dedicated public lands advocacy organization, based in Alamosa.
SLVEC's mission is to protect and restore the biological diversity, ecosystems, and natural resources of the Upper Rio Grande bioregion through research, education, and advocacy — balancing ecological values with the very real, sustainable needs of the people who live here.
In a summer defined by drought, wildfire risk, and debates over how much new development the Valley's water and land can support, the work SLVEC does connecting science, policy, and community input feels especially relevant. They're a resource worth knowing about, whether you're a rancher, a hiker, or just someone who cares about what this Valley looks like in fifty years.
📍 537 Main St, Alamosa, CO 81101
📞 (719) 589-1518 🌐
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 Artist’s rendering created to accompany this article |
🗺️ Discover Los Sauces The Village the River Named
Down in Conejos County, where the Rio Grande and the Conejos River meet, sits a village small enough that most Valley maps barely have room for its name — and even then, they usually get it wrong.
Los Sauces was settled in 1863–64 by Antonio Márquez, José Rodríguez, and Fernando Borrego, along with their families, on land granted under the Conejos Land Grant. They built along the west side of the Rio Grande and grazed animals across the river on Sangre de Cristo Land Grant land — a village shaped, quite literally, by which side of the water you were standing on. The name comes from the willow trees (sauces) that lined the riverbanks — a fitting name for a settlement that owed its existence to the river itself.
The name almost didn't survive intact. When the community applied for a post office in the late 1800s, a clerical error turned "Los Sauces" into "Lasauses" on the official paperwork — and the mistake was never corrected. To this day, most maps and highway signs read "Lasauses," while people from the region still call it by its proper name, Los Sauces.
For a quarter century, from 1895 to 1920, the village had its own post office, a store, and a dance hall. Nearby, from the 1860s through the 1870s, travelers coming from Fort Garland crossed the Rio Grande at Stewart's Crossing, a ferry site that made Los Sauces a genuine waypoint on the Valley's early transportation network. The village's adobe chapel, La Capilla de San Antonio de Padua — built in 1880 and rebuilt in 1928 — still stands today and is listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties.
Los Sauces was never going to be a boomtown. It was something quieter and, in its own way, more durable: a farming village that took its name from the river and has never really left its banks.
Did You Know? A single paperwork error more than a century ago is why official maps still say "Lasauses" — even though the community itself has always gone by Los Sauces. |
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First Responders Night Out Comes to Monte Vista August 12Residents are invited to enjoy an evening of community, education and family fun during First Responders Night Out 2026, presented by the Monte Vista Police Department.
The free event will be held on Wednesday, August 12, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Outcalt Event Center at the Ski-Hi Complex, 2335 Sherman Avenue in Monte Vista.
Families will have the opportunity to meet local police officers and other first responders, explore fire engines and rescue equipment, meet EMS and emergency personnel, see specialized vehicles and equipment, ask questions and learn more about public safety.
Free food and family-friendly activities will also be available throughout the evening. The event is open to all ages.
This year’s message is “It Takes All Kinds — One Team. One Community.” The evening is designed to give residents a closer look at the people and equipment that help keep Monte Vista safe while strengthening connections between first responders and the community.
Event Details: Admission: Free For more information or to reserve a booth space, contact Officer Jessica Moorman at 719-628-9538 or jmoorman@ci.monte-vista.co.us. |
🎬 Big Screen on the Green Returns
Thursday, August 20 • Activities begin at 6:00 PM • Movie after sunset Big Screen on the Green kicks off its six-week summer series this Thursday on the Richardson Hall lawn at Adams State University in Alamosa. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy an evening of food trucks, outdoor games and a free movie under the stars. Activities begin at 6:00 PM, with the movie starting after sunset. The series continues every Thursday through September 17, giving families and friends several chances to enjoy a summer movie night on the lawn. The 2026 movie lineup has not yet been fully posted, so check with event organizers for the latest film and entertainment schedule. |
🎉 Suds4SAR Block Party
Saturday, August 15 • 3:00–10:00 PM • San Juan Avenue • Downtown Alamosa Downtown Alamosa will come alive Saturday for the Suds4SAR Block Party, a community fundraiser benefiting Alamosa Volunteer Search & Rescue. The afternoon and evening will feature live music, a cornhole tournament, climbing wall, silent auction, local market and more, giving the community a chance to enjoy a fun day downtown while supporting the volunteers who answer the call when help is needed in the backcountry. Event details may change. Check with organizers for the latest updates. |
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🎶 Sundays at Six
Sunday, August 16 • 6:00 PM • Cole Park • Alamosa The Sundays at Six summer concert series continues this weekend with another free evening of live music at Cole Park. Bring a chair or blanket, settle in on the grass and enjoy one of the San Luis Valley's favorite summertime traditions. The music begins at 6:00 PM, and there is no admission charge. With the summer season winding down, it's a great chance to enjoy an evening outdoors and catch one of the final concerts of the series. Event details may change. Check with organizers for the latest updates. |
🎵 Headwaters Music Festival Returns to Creede – August 29–30
Where: Creede, Colorado
The Headwaters Music Festival returns to the mountain town of Creede for two days of live music, local talent, and beautiful alpine scenery. Featuring performances on both the Main Stage and the Karen Robinson Side Stage, the festival offers a diverse lineup ranging from country and folk to blues, Americana, and Tejano.
Saturday, August 29
Sunday, August 30
Additional performances will take place throughout both days on the Karen Robinson Side Stage, showcasing regional musicians and emerging artists.
Whether you're planning a weekend getaway or just looking for great live music in the San Luis Valley region, the Headwaters Music Festival is one of Creede's signature summer events.
Tickets and more information:
Planning to attend? We'd love to see your photos! Send your favorite Headwaters Music Festival pictures to editor@thesanluisvalleybeat.com for a chance to be featured in a future issue. |
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Across the wide-open San Luis Valley, drivers often catch sight of bands of free-roaming horses moving through sagebrush and beneath the expansive sky.
Known to locals as the wild horses of the Valley, their presence is part of everyday life for some, but an awe-inspiring discovery for many visitors.
Unlike mustangs managed in Colorado’s official wild-horse Herd Management Areas, these Valley horses typically rove outside federal jurisdiction, adding complexity to their status and management.
Spanish settlers and generations of ranchers integrated horses into the region’s history, with escaped or released domesticated animals now forming herds whose ancestry is tough to trace.
Some call them wild, others feral, but either way, they evoke powerful feelings—of freedom, heritage, and sometimes concern over grazing and animal welfare.
The horses remain a living symbol of the San Luis Valley’s untamed character and enduring Western spirit. Read More... |
This newsletter sponsored by |
Kentucky Belle Market — Creede, Colorado |
Some businesses are more than just places to shop. In a small mountain community, they become part of the fabric of everyday life. Kentucky Belle Market in Creede is one of those places.
I've been visiting Creede since the 1990s and have stayed there many times over the years. During those visits, I've also shopped at Kentucky Belle Market. It's the kind of hometown grocery store that visitors quickly discover when they need something, while for local residents it provides an important year-round service right in the heart of Creede.
Located at 103 W. 2nd Street, Kentucky Belle Market is Creede's hometown grocery store, offering the everyday essentials you might not expect to find in such a small and relatively remote mountain community.
The market carries fresh produce, choice meats, dairy products and groceries, along with ice, fishing and picnic supplies, first-aid items, toiletries, infant and toddler necessities, and snacks convenient for hikers and travelers exploring the surrounding mountains.
Perhaps most importantly, Kentucky Belle Market isn't simply a summertime business. It's open year-round, serving Creede and Mineral County long after the busiest visitor season has passed.
That's significant in a community like Creede. While summer brings thousands of visitors to the area, the people who live there year-round still need somewhere nearby to pick up groceries, meat, produce and household necessities. Kentucky Belle Market helps fill that role.
And for visitors, there's something enjoyable about shopping at a small-town grocery store instead of automatically heading for a big-box retailer before making the drive into the mountains. It's another opportunity to support a local business while experiencing a little more of the community you're visiting.
Kentucky Belle Market also offers weekly sales, making it worth checking what's available whether you're stocking the kitchen for the week, filling the cooler before heading into the mountains, or simply picking up something you forgot.
After visiting Creede for more than three decades, places like Kentucky Belle Market are part of what I've come to appreciate about the town.
Creede may attract people with its dramatic scenery, mining history, outdoor recreation and unique character, but businesses that continue serving the community throughout the year are part of what keeps a small mountain town going. |
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💡 Tip of The Day
Fire restrictions are shifting county by county this summer as conditions change — before your next campfire, cookout, or day trip, double-check current restrictions for wherever you're headed rather than assuming last week's rules still apply |
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🐾 Meet SofieLook at that smile! Sofie is a large adult female Labrador Retriever / Border Collie mix with a friendly face, bright brown eyes, and just enough white on her chest and toes to give her a distinctive look. Sofie is described by the shelter as friendly with new people and good with adults. She has a moderately active energy level and needs moderate exercise, making her a potential companion for someone who enjoys walks, time outdoors, and having a four-legged friend nearby. Sofie does need some training and is listed as having special needs, so anyone interested in adopting her should talk with the shelter about exactly what those needs involve and whether their home would be a good match. She will also need a yard with a secure 6-foot fence. One thing that may appeal to some families: despite her Labrador and Border Collie heritage, Sofie is described as quiet rather than particularly vocal. Sofie was found in the 81144 area in July and is now waiting at Conour Animal Shelter for someone to give her a fresh start. Judging by that big smile, she looks more than ready to meet them. 📍 Adoption InformationUpper Rio Grande Animal Society 👉 Contact the shelter directly to learn more about Sofie, including her special needs, or to schedule a meet-and-greet. Quick Facts
Not ready to adopt? Sharing Sofie’s story could help her find the right home. |
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Loaded Valley Potato HashCrispy San Luis Valley potatoes, smoky sausage, roasted green chiles, colorful peppers and melted cheddar come together in this hearty griddle recipe. Serve it for breakfast, lunch or an easy outdoor supper. Serves: 4–6 Ingredients
Directions
Frank’s Griddle TipThe secret to crispy potatoes is resisting the urge to stir them constantly. Let them cook undisturbed for several minutes between turns so they have time to develop a golden crust. Easy Variations
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August is a great time to shop local in the San Luis Valley. Gardens and fields are producing, Colorado fruit is arriving, and farmers markets around the Valley are filling up with fresh produce, baked goods, locally raised foods, handmade items and plenty of familiar faces.
Whether you're looking for vegetables for dinner, something homemade, or simply an excuse for a morning drive around the Valley, here's a roundup of places to check out this week.
🌻 WednesdayMercadillo en el Río — Alamosa
Del Norte Farmers Market / Mercado del Norte — Del Norte
🌽 FridayCreede Farmers Market — Creede
Monte Vista Farmers Market — Monte VistaFridays • 9:00 AM–1:00 PM
Market at South Fork — South Fork
🥔 SaturdayAlamosa Farmers Market — Alamosa
Market at South Fork — South Fork
Crestone Farmers Market — Crestone
Blanca Farmers Market — Blanca Saturday & Sunday • Traditionally 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
San Luis Farmers Market — San Luis 🚜 More Than Farmers Markets
Don't forget that farmers markets aren't the only way to buy local. Throughout the Valley you'll find farm stands, roadside produce stands, farm stores and growers selling directly to the public. As the harvest season moves through August and September, we'll be looking for more of them. 🥕 DID WE MISS ONE? Do you operate — or know about — a farmers market, farm stand, roadside produce stand, U-pick, farm store or other place where people can buy locally grown food in the San Luis Valley? Let us know! We're working on a growing Valley-wide “Where to Buy Local” list and would love to include the smaller places that aren't always easy to find online.
email: editor @ thesanluisvalley.com
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💡 ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION:
Orient! This Saguache County ghost town's flooded mine shaft — the "Glory Hole" — now hosts roughly 250,000 Brazilian free-tailed bats every summer.
The San Luis Valley Beat is your friendly, go-to guide for life in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. |