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The Prowers Journal Site Has Moved

The Prowers Journal Site Has Moved

The Prowers Journal website has been permanently moved to a new hosting company.  Please go to theprowersjournal.com to access the most up to date news in Prowers County.  Don’t forget to update your bookmarks to reflect this change. To better serve you, the Prowers Journal has upgraded its website.  The site offers a new, more streamlined appearance making it easier to find the news that is important to you.  The site also includes additional features such … Read entire article »

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LUB Reviews Financials, Approves Scholarship Renewals

LUB Reviews Financials, Approves Scholarship Renewals

The Lamar Utility Board reported that Year to Date electric sales through May of this year were 4.2% lower than the same time last year.  Residential, commercial and industrial customer sales were off 5% and irrigation loads were down approximately 16% compared to the same time last year.  Total operating revenues for 2012 are $4,426,444 and total operating costs are $3,414,759.  Net income for the Lamar Light Plant is at $715,961, Year to Date.  Compared … Read entire article »

Filed under: Agriculture, Business, community, Employment, Energy, Featured, Lamar, News, Public Safety, Utilities, Youth

Another Monthly Increase for Lamar City Sales Tax

Another Monthly Increase for Lamar City Sales Tax

May 2012 sales tax collections are up another month for the City of Lamar.  City sales tax is up 7.33% over the same period last year and total sales and collections show a gain of 7.72% for a gain of $19,523.06.  Total city sales tax collections for May are $256,618.54. Year to Date figures show city sales tax collections up 4.60 for a gain of $68,345.84.  Total tax and Use Tax collections are up 5.66% for … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, Chamber/Local Business, community, Economy, Employment, Entertainment, Featured, Lamar, News, Recreation, Sports, The Journal Alert, Utilities

Another Monthly Increase for Lamar City Sales Tax

Another Monthly Increase for Lamar City Sales Tax

May 2012 sales tax collections are up another month for the City of Lamar.  City sales tax is up 7.33% over the same period last year and total sales and collections show a gain of 7.72% for a gain of $19,523.06.  Total city sales tax collections for May are $256,618.54. Year to Date figures show city sales tax collections up 4.60 for a gain of $68,345.84.  Total tax and Use Tax collections are up 5.66% for … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, Chamber/Local Business, community, Economy, Employment, Entertainment, Featured, Lamar, News, Recreation, Sports, The Journal Alert, Utilities

Motel Lodger’s Tax Proposed to Lamar City Council for November Ballot

Motel Lodger’s Tax Proposed to Lamar City Council for November Ballot

Lamar voters should decide this November to approve a proposed lodgers or pillow tax on motel room rentals.   As outlined during the city council work session on Monday, July 9, by Shawna Hodge, Lamar Main Street Director, and Pat Palmer, President of the Prowers Lodging Tax Panel, the proposed tax will levy a simple $2 fee on each motel or Bed & Breakfast room rented in the City of Lamar.   The fee, Hodge explained, will … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, Chamber/Local Business, Commissioners, community, County, Economy, Energy, Entertainment, Events, Featured, Holly, Lamar, News, Recreation, Tourism, Utilities, Weather

Planned July 11th Power Outage for Holly

Planned July 11th Power Outage for Holly

Town of Holly Administrator Marsha Willhite annouced Monday, July 9, that an electric power interruption is scheduled for Wednesday, July 11 which will affect only certain areas of the Holly system. The planned interruption is necessary to facilitat the installation of a substation regulator.  Those customers who reside or do business in the following areas will be affected by the outage: North of Park Street to the Buffalo Canal, between Eighth Street and CR 35. Between Park Street … Read entire article »

Filed under: Agriculture, Business, City, community, Economy, Energy, Featured, Holly, News, Notice, Public Safety, Utilities

Federal Government Approves Drought Disaster for Colorado

Federal Government Approves Drought Disaster for Colorado

DENVER ­— Tuesday, July 3, 2012 —  U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack notified Gov. John Hickenlooper today that 62 of the state’s 64 counties qualify for federal disaster relief because of drought conditions.    “The Department of Agriculture has reviewed the Loss Assessment Reports and has determined that there were sufficient production losses in 62 counties to warrant a Secretarial disaster designation,” a letter from Vilsack says. “Therefore, I am designating all Colorado counties, except Delta and … Read entire article »

Filed under: Agriculture, Business, City, County, Economy, Employment, Granada, Health, Holly, Lamar, News, Public Safety, The Journal Alert, Utilities, Weather, Wiley

Maintenance Funding Sought for PCDI Washington Street Property

Maintenance Funding Sought for PCDI Washington Street Property

  The Washington Street property will be shown to a prospective business developer later this month.  Prowers County Development Incorporated Executive Director Lisa Nolder informed board members of an interested party during their June 26 monthly meeting.  Nolder said interest in the building developed from a contact she made during the annual AWEA, American Wind Energy Association trade show held in Atlanta, GA in early June.  This is the third show that Nolder has attended as PCDI … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, community, Economy, Employment, Lamar, News, Utilities

Light Plant Makes Additional Storm Damage Insurance Claims

Light Plant Makes Additional Storm Damage Insurance Claims

  The Lamar Utility Board held a brief meeting this past Tuesday, June 26 before adjourning into executive session to receive legal advice regarding WildEarth Guardian litigation and legal questions pertaining to the Lamar Repowering project.  Board members awarded several bids:  $115,048 to Altec Industries for a 2012 Bucket Truck with an aerial device; $29,326 for wooden replacement poles to Bell Lumber & Pole; $76,990 to Western United for steel poles and $12,778 for deadend assemblies for … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, community, Economy, Energy, Lamar, News, Public Safety, Utilities

Lamar Administrator Search Down to Final Five

Lamar Administrator Search Down to Final Five

Interim Lamar City Administrator Steven Rabe told the council that five finalists for the permanent city administrator position have been made aware of their status. Seven persons were given phone interviews on June 18 and 19 by Rabe, and based on those interviews, plus additional information on the candidates, five are being forwarded to the council for its consideration. The five are: Carlo Pilgrim of Boothbay, Maine, Fred Ventresco of Wilmington, Vermont, Eric Strahl of … Read entire article »

Filed under: Agriculture, Business, community, Employment, Energy, Entertainment, Events, Featured, Festival, Health, Holly, Lamar, Law Enforcement, News, Police Reports, Public Safety, Recreation, Utilities, Weather

Week Long Heat Wave for S.E. Colorado

Week Long Heat Wave for S.E. Colorado

  An oppressive and persistent heat wave is hitting southeast Colorado and other parts of the nation.  The National Weather Service in Pueblo is predicting triple digit temperatures from Burlington, CO, to Amarillo, TX and from Pueblo to Garden City through this week.  Residents are urged to take caution and find ways to keep as cool as possible for the next few days, and be aware of some of the heat symptoms for heat exhaustion or heat … Read entire article »

Filed under: Agriculture, Business, community, Economy, Entertainment, Events, Granada, Health, Holly, Lamar, News, Public Safety, Recreation, The Journal Alert, Utilities, Weather, Wiley, Youth

NWS-Pueblo Reports Drought on Increase in S.E. Colorado

NWS-Pueblo Reports Drought on Increase in S.E. Colorado

National Weather Service Drought/Climate Summary as of June 1, 2012.  A very warm and unusually dry spring has allowed for drought conditions to persist and advance across south central and southeast Colorado.  This past dry spring, coupled with a dry winter has allowed for drought conditions to persist.  The current U.S. Drought Monitor has reintroduced extreme drought (D3) conditions across most of Crowley County, along with portions of Kiowa County, extreme northeastern Otero and northwestern Bent counties, … Read entire article »

Filed under: Agriculture, Business, community, County, Economy, Employment, Featured, News, Utilities, Weather

Entrance to Holly Swimming Pool Altered

Entrance to Holly Swimming Pool Altered

Holly Administrator, Marsha Willhite, announced today, June 29,  that the town’s municipal swimming pool will remain open with regular scheduling next week, June 25-29, amid plans for a closure of Park Street in the vicinity of the pool.    Adolphson and Peterson, general contractor for the new school project, has scheduled a substantial cross-cut of the street for the purpose of installing underground storm water drainage tubes.     A one lane entrance at the pool facility will provide access … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, community, Education, Entertainment, Holly, News, Notice, Public Safety, Recreation, School, Sports, Utilities

Granada Board Approves 1st Reading of Junked Vehicle Revision

Granada Board Approves 1st Reading of Junked Vehicle Revision

Cover up your cars!  After considerable discussion, the ordinance governing how derelict, inoperable or unregistered vehicles will be stored on private property was approved by the Granada Board of Trustees on first reading during their monthly meeting, Wednesday, June 13.  The ordinance was revised by Granada Police Chief David Dougherty to now stipulate that a person with one untagged vehicle must keep it in the rear of their property, out of view from the front … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, City, community, Economy, Granada, Law Enforcement, News, Police Reports, Public Safety, Recreation, School, Sports, Transportation, Utilities, Youth

Hourieh Accepts Superintendent Position at LUB, Recaps Latest Storm Damage

Hourieh Accepts Superintendent Position at LUB, Recaps Latest Storm Damage

  The agenda for the June 12, 2012 Lamar Utility Board meeting was pushed back to the next regularly scheduled meeting, June 26.  There weren’t sufficient board members available to form a quorum and no action could be taken on the agenda, although there was an informal discussion on some subjects that did not require a board vote.  It was noted that during the last executive session conducted by the board, members offered interim Light Plant … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, community, Economy, Employment, Energy, Featured, Lamar, News, Public Safety, Utilities

Alta Vista Charter School Receives National Recognition for Sustainable Design

Alta Vista Charter School Receives National Recognition for Sustainable Design

  Denver, CO (June 7, 2012) – SLATERPAULL Architects and JHL Constructors, Inc. announce that Alta Vista Charter School (AVCS) in Lamar, Colorado has been named as the first project in the state to attain the Verified Leader certification by the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) as a healthy, high performance, green school.  CHPS is a national organization dedicated to optimizing K-12 learning environments and improving student performance and the entire educational experience by building … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, community, Economy, Education, Energy, Featured, Health, Lamar, News, Public Safety, Recreation, School, Utilities, Weather, Youth

Simon Sworn in as Holly Mayor, New Trustee Decision Pending

Simon Sworn in as Holly Mayor, New Trustee Decision Pending

Brad Simon was officially sworn in as the new mayor for the Town of Holly, beginning his two year term in office.  Other agenda items regarding the Board of Trustees was postponed during the June 6 meeting as one Trustee, the Town Administrator and Town Clerk were absent.  A vote for mayor pro-tem and discussion on two letters of interest for a Trustee position will be taken up during the July meeting.  There were two appearances … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, College, community, Economy, Health, Holly, News, Public Safety, Recreation, School, Sports, Utilities, Youth

Honkers Visit Rich Rigel General Manager of ARPA

Honkers Visit Rich Rigel General Manager of ARPA

The Lamar Chamber of Commerce Honkers welcome Rick Rigel to his new position as General Manager of ARPA, Arkansas River Power Authority. Rigel assumed his new duties from his former position as Superintendent of Lamar Light and Power. Rigel’s new position now sees him administering to the power needs of various ARPA member communities in southeast Colorado. The business office is located at 3409 South Main Street in Lamar. Rigel can be contacted at rrigel@arpapower.org. Pictured are … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, Chamber/Local Business, community, Economy, Employment, Lamar, Utilities

City Water Project at PMC Underway

City Water Project at PMC Underway

  Excavation is underway on the north entrance of Prowers Medical Center, part of the project initiated by the City of Lamar to replace aging pipeline feeding Prowers Medical Center.  Once completed, in about 90 days from an earlier estimate, the 2,200 foot long pipeline will eliminate an old 14 inch water line serving the hospital and Willow Valley.  This will provide new and improved water connections and a more reliable water source for the medical … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, community, Health, Lamar, News, Public Safety, Utilities

Weekend Storm Clean Up Continues in Lamar ( additional pix)

Weekend Storm Clean Up Continues in Lamar ( additional pix)

Clean up efforts got underway in earnest on Sunday, June 3, following the damage from Saturday’s severe thunderstorm which produced winds in town and at the Lamar Airport at 66mph.     Power was knocked out to a portion of south Lamar, mostly between Savage Avenue and West Cedar Street. Electricity was restored by emergency crews from Lamar Light and Power by around 7:30 Saturday evening, although repair operations extended until almost midnight.   Interim Light Plant Superintendent, … Read entire article »

Filed under: Business, community, County, Energy, Featured, Lamar, News, Public Safety, Recreation, The Journal Alert, Utilities, Weather

Weather forecast by WP Wunderground & Denver Snow Plowing