Local News in Custer County
Community news from our local sources
Custer County 9 storieswidest scope for this area
VALI Assisted Living closing greatly impacts community senior care
The perfect storm of circumstances that have forced the closure of dozens of assisted living facilities in Colorado has arrived in Custer County. Like many before them Valley Assisted Living–VALI, 30 East Main Street, Silver Cliff–has made the painfully necessary decision to…
Scams galore: FCC alerts grandparents, again
There are a lot of grandparents in our aging community, this writer among them. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently updated its online warning to vulnerable elders under the heading “‘Grandparent’ Scams Get More Sophisticated” (fcc.gov). Years ago,…
Labor Day climb of Crestone Needle turns into a dangerous but successful alpine rescue
The weather was fine for hiking on Labor Day Monday for dozens of people who aimed to complete the grueling summit of the Crestone Needle before the icy hand of winter gripped the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Yet the day took a turn at 11 a.m., when hikers called 911 to ask for…
Alla Prima Westcliffe’s unique style of painting lures artists to the Wet Mountain Valley
From the towering Sangre De Cristo peaks to Westcliffe’s charming downtown to every picturesque ranch in between, Sangres Art Guild’s 17th Alla Prima Westcliffe Plein Air Event (APW) is about to take the Valley by storm. Translated as “at the first attempt,” alla prima is an…
Westcliffe based home insurance education resource now available for locals after many receive non-renewals
It is now an expected pattern following a huge wildfire summer: first, the fires sweep over the hot, densely forested mountains; firefighters’ bravery makes headlines as lives are saved and homes are skillfully protected from the inferno; then comes the notice of non-renewal, as…
Lake Fork Electric brings power, and now solar independence
There is nothing quite like a family-run business where a husband and wife team, alongside their kids, keep investing in an industry they believe in and work to grow every day. The Doughty family, along with their growing crew, paused for a group photo taken by the Tribune at…
Tribune author’s book “In the Land of Forgetfulness” becomes a must-read for Dementia caregivers
Writer’s Note: It was my pleasure and privilege to read my Tribune colleague Wayne Ewing’s book In the Land of Forgetfulness in August, 2024 and we spoke about it for a Q & A article not long after that. At the time, when I asked him to summarize it, he replied: “The book is a…
Schedule of the peak of leaf viewing season in the region
The brutally hot, dry summer has begun to fade across the Wet Mountain Valley region, and many are asking how the dry conditions will affect the fall colors in the Sangre de Cristo and Wet Mountain Ranges. Experts with the Colorado Forest Service have indicated that in dry years,…
In memory of Charles Lee Rorick
Charles Lee Rorick, beloved husband, father, stepfather, brother, and friend, passed away on September 4, 2026, at the age of 87. He was born on November 17, 1938, in Fountain, Colorado, to Carl and Allina Rorick. Charles spent most of his life in Westcliffe, Colorado, where he…