7 MILE PLAZA — The 7 Mile Plaza community elders along with other people, are asking for the public’s help to restore the historic St. Francis of Assisi Mission Church. The church needs a new roof and adobe walls.

MONTE VISTA – Ahead of prom, Monte Vista High School students got a close look at the consequences of a drunken-driving crash via a mock accident.

MONTE VISTA — The City of Monte Vista is applying for a $3-$4 million Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to purchase approximately 62 acres of land in the Trosper Ranch annex to bring much-needed affordable housing to the city.

MONTE VISTA — Family and friends surrounded beloved Veteran George Blake to help celebrate his 103rd birthday on Jan. 29 at the Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake.

MONTE VISTA— The Southern Rocky Mountain Agriculture Conference and Trade Show held in Monte Vista the past week was a huge success according to Larry Brown with Colorado State University Extension and Kay Harmon, who both co-chair the conference.

MONTE VISTA — The Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce along with the OptiMystics Citizen Action Network hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for Valerie Larson Insurance Agency. Approximately 15 people attended the ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 126 Adams St.

MONTE VISTA — The Regency Tax and Bookkeeping Services Agency held its grand opening and ribbon cutting on Friday, Feb. 16, with support from the Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce and the OptiMystics Citizen Action Network.

There are 13 of Colorado's 26 byways designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation as America's Byways, which gives Colorado more national designations than any other state.

MONTE VISTA — Newly elected Monte Vista City Councilors Loren Howard and Brad Watson were sworn in on Jan. 4 at the Monte Vista City Hall.

MONTE VISTA — Farm Bureau Insurance held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 11, 247 Adams St.

MONTE VISTA — Stephen Hunzeker has opened a new funeral home in Monte Vista. Mountain Valley Mortuary opened its doors in the historic Romero mortuary building on 4th Street just before the year's start, and Hunzeker looks forward to serving the community he and his family have grown to love.

MONTE VISTA — Resident Barb Miller loves to stay busy and active. Miller works at Top Value in Monte Vista and is a busy grandmother, helping her grandkids, and enjoys cleaning up the roads around Monte Vista.

SAN LUIS VALLEY — Starting on Christmas Day in 1900, ornithologist, Frank M Chapman with the newly formed Audubon Society proposed an annual holiday tradition of counting birds and the Christmas Bird Count began.

MONTE VISTA — GriefShare is a support group where people can find support, direction, and help after a loved one’s passing. GriefShare classes have become available in Monte Vista. The group will meet for 13 weeks from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, beginning on Feb. 7, at the Valley Church of the Nazarene. The public is invited to attend.

MONTE VISTA — Director of Activities for Tri-County Senior Center DJ Salazar recently announced Veterans Coffee Connection will be from 8 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays at the Tri-County Senior Center. The event is being organized by SSG Fox SPGP, and Valley Veterans ReCreation.

MONTE VISTA — The Monte Vista Bill Metz Elementary Kindness Club gave a presentation to the Monte Vista City Council during a council meeting on Dec. 14. The club shared their inspiration and hopes.

MONTE VISTA — At a Christmas party on Sunday, Dec. 17, Colorado State University San Luis Valley Area Extension Director Larry Brown happily received a $1,000 donation to the San Luis Valley endowment fund from the Udder Delight Dairy Goats 4-H Club.

RIO GRANDE COUNTY – RG Bank is bringing financial literacy education to over 1,680 students in several Colorado counties. Students at 10 schools have free access to Banzai, an award-winning online program and content library that allows users to practice real-world finance from the safety of their home or classroom using any internet-enabled device. At a time when a solid foundation of practical financial knowledge is critical, these resources will make a huge impact on users. All of these resources are available to students at home or in the classroom via any device that can access the internet.

DEL NORTE — The Upper Rio Grande Economic Development meeting for November was held in the Rio Grande County Commissioner Chambers in Del Norte on Nov. 14. The group welcomed LOR Foundation representative Ivette Atencio as the keynote speaker who gave a brief presentation on what the foundation has done since coming to Monte Vista 18 months ago.

MONTE VISTA — On Friday, Nov. 17, the Monte Vista Emergency Food Bank held a Thanksgiving distribution.