JOURNAL

127th Year, Number 15

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

MONTE VISTA, COLORADO 81144

50

Mondragon sought by Monte police

News in
Brief
Enroll for Sargent
kindergarten
MONTE VISTASargent
Elementary School kindergarten
p re-enrollment will be held on
Tuesday, April 19 from 5:30 to 7
p.m. in the school cafeteria .

Xcel Energy
working in Monte

MONTE VISTAThe city of

Monte Vista is issuing a public
notice of work being conducted
within the public right of way
within the boundaries of Monte
Vista by Xcel Energy.
Xcel Energy has permitted with
Rio Grande County and the city of
Monte Vista to conduct a survey
of their natural gas service lines
within the boundaries of the two
jurisdictions. These surveys are
necessary to maintain the integrity
of their pipelines. Work is expected
to encompass roads from County
Road 6N south to Highway 160
including Sherman Avenue mainly
on Soldiers Home Road. During
this survey motorists may experience short traffic delays and are
asked to please drive safely and
watch for workers in the roadway.
Work is estimated to begin on or
about April 21 and to last approximately three weeks.

Home and garden

show cancelled
MONTE VISTAThe Monte
Vista Chamber of Commerce
wishes to apologize for the cancellation of the 2016 Home and
Garden Show. They are sorry for
any inconvenience this has caused.

This week's issue sponsored by:

MONTE VISTAOn Sunday,

April 10 at approximately 10:30
p.m., the Monte Vista Police Department received information
regarding suspicious activity in the
parking lot of the apartment building located at the intersection of
Broadway and 1st Avenue.
Upon arrival, officers contacted
Sean Mondragon, 24, a parolee out
of LaJara/Alamosa, who was driving a black 2006 Chrysler 300. As
officers spoke with Mondragon
they saw what they believed to be
a considerable amount of heroin in
his possession. Mondragon then
sped away in the vehicle, nearly
Courtesy photos

Please see WANTED on Page 12A

Sean Mondragon

Faith Hinkley
Veterans
Memorial
Park receives
$70,000 grant
BY ANTHONY GUERRERO
MONTE VISTA The Faith Hinkley
Veterans Memorial Park is the proud recipient of a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO)
grant in the amount of $70,000 to progress
Please see MEMORIAL on Page 6A
Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) awarded the
city of Monte Vista a $70,000 grant for the second
phase of the Faith Hinkley Veterans Memorial
Park. The funding will help to add shade
structures, restrooms and plumbing, seating and
trash receptacles throughout the park.
Photo by Jennifer Alonzo

Monte Vista police officers searched for Mondragen Monday morning.

Recreation
department
ready for
summer season
BY ANTHONY GUERRERO

MONTE VISTAThe Monte

Vista Recreation Department is
busy working on fun activities and
improvements and beginning preparation for the busy summer months.
Recreation Supervisor Jaime Hurtado
provided an update to the Monte
Vista City Council during their meeting on Thursday, April 7.
Hurtado has been enjoying his new
position over the last few months.
First of all, I would like to start
out with my gratitude for giving me
the opportunity to be a part of this
organization. I have been enjoying
every aspect of my position since I
was hired, said Hurtado.
The recreation supervisor has
several projects in the works. I have
Please see SUMMER on Page 12A

City continues support of Tri-County

BY ANTHONY GUERRERO
MONTE VISTA- The Monte Vista
City Council unanimously elected to
continue supporting the Tri-County
Senior Citizens with a $2,000 yearly
donation to help with center operations
and transportation.
John Velasquez, a member of the TriCounty board of directors was present
at the April 7 city council meeting and
provided an update and information.
Velasquez reported on services provided at Tri-County, such as transportation
for seniors to go shopping and to doctors appointments. Within the center
the seniors can socialize with a host
of fun activities such as playing cards,
pool, bingo, crafts and the exercise program. The center also provides annual
events such as dances and the annual
Senior Fun Day, where seniors from
all over the San Luis Valley come to
participate in the fun.
Velasquez shared that social service
departments and public health go to
the senior center once a month to see

clients. This helps seniors get services

and treatments that are necessary for
their health and wellbeing.
The center also serves as a congregate site for meals. This is a big deal
to our seniors. For a lot of these people,
if they dont get their meals, they dont
eat, said Velasquez.
Mayor Debbie Garcia asked if the
senior center would be interested in
regular updates from the city of Monte
Vista. One of our goals this year is to try
and keep the communication more open
with all the different organizations so that
were all on the same page...if people
have questions its a great opportunity
to answer...and also to hear concerns,
said Garcia. Velasquez said the council
was always welcome. We appreciate
everything youre doing, said Garcia.
Tri-County is run by a volunteer
board of directors and advisory board.
It is a non-profit 501(c)(3). Any senior
may participate in the programs; they
Photo by Jennifer Alonzo
do not have to reside at Tri-County or The Tri-County Senior Center hosts annual events such as dances and the annual
be a member to benefit.
Senior Fun Day, as well as pool, crafts, bingo and more on a weekly basis.

PAGE 12A

SUMMER

Continued from Page 1A

been working on organization of the
office duties and setting up part-time
employees with more productive
scheduling. I have been learning a
lot and meeting people in relation to
my job, he said.
Hurtado said during his first week
he jumped right into helping out with
the Monte Vista Crane Festival. He
thanked recreation staff for walking
him through what needed to be done
and said everything went fine. He
recently attended a crane festival
debriefing meeting to discuss plans
for next year and to begin fixing any
issues to make the process smoother
for all parties involved.
The Adult Recreation Basketball
League for 2016 is now up and
running. There are 11 mens teams
and six womens teams. Games are
played Monday through Thursdays
and run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Hurtado
has also worked on scheduling for
the pee wee soccer league, as well
as little league baseball.
Hurtado also presented a fundraising idea to help maintain and upgrade
the Ski Hi Facilities. He proposed
asking businesses and individuals to
sponsor teams by donating a certain
amount of money. There will be
several packages ranging from $100$500, which will include benefits to
the sponsors such as business name
on team shirts and team photos
printed in the Monte Vista Journal.
Right now Hurtado just asked the
council and city administration to
look over the plans and let him know
their thoughts. Hopefully we can
use that money to upgrade or replace
the equipment that we need. It will
benefit both the sponsors and us. We
can have a great summer at Ski Hi,
he said.

THE Monte Vista JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016

Oh give
me a
home

This bison herd near Monte

Vista enjoys a cool spring
day. Such domestic herds are
a reminder of their historical
place in Valley history.
Photo by Nelda Curtiss

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WANTED

Continued from Page 1A

striking one of the officers.
On Monday, April 11, shortly before 8 a.m., the Monte Vista Police
Department received information
that the black 2006 Chrysler 300
was parked in an alley near the 700
block of Washington Street. Offi cers observed a male, possibly
Mondragon, driving a blue 1990
Toyota pick-up reported stolen in
Monte Vista on March 22 drive up
to the black Chrysler. When officers
attempted to contact the driver of
the pickup, he fled in the Toyota
pickup. Officers pursued the pickup
until it crashed into a dumpster
behind the Elks Lodge on Washington Street. Officers combed the
area for the driver, but he was not
located. As a precaution, Bill Metz
Elementary was placed on secure
perimeter while officers searched
the area. There was no direct threat
to the school.
Sean Mondragon, 24, from LaJara/Alamosa is still at large. He
is described as 56, 180 pounds
with black hair. He is currently
wanted for attempted assault on a
police officer and parole violation
and is considered to be a threat to
the public.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked
to contact the Monte Vista Police
Department at 719-852-5111 or
call 911.

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