by Larry Patrick
WALSENBURG — Jessica Newton of Huerfano Valley Estates (HVE) gave the Huerfano County Commissioners an update on their water situation and plans. Newton said the subdivision has changed its priority from water system improvements, to water rights acquisition.
The HVE is working to acquire six acre feet of water to handle some of their water needs. Three acre feet are in the process of being finalized in the near future. The subdivision hopes to begin negotiations for an additional three acre feet of water from another source.

by Eric Mullens

WALSENBURG — About 20 Walsenburg residents attended a Sexually Violent Predator Community Notification Meeting Tuesday evening at the Spanish Peaks Public Library host by city police, the district attorney’s office, state parole and probation and the judicial district’s victim’s advocate department.
Frank Gallegos, 28, who was convicted of attempted sexual assault and witness tampering, will be living at 629 W. Fourth Street. He has successfully completed parole, so his only requirement is to register with local law enforcement.

staff report
WALSENBURG — A prolonged civil case involving a quiet title deed filing on approximately 23 acres of land in Gardner, dating back to 2001, was addressed by the Colorado Court of Appeals in an unpublished ruling March 22, 2012.
The land in dispute is approximately 22 acres of so-called “no-man’s land”, which no one claimed or owned for a better part of the 20th century.

by Eric Mullens
WALSENBURG — A resident of the 300 block of W. Third St. in Walsenburg Saturday opened the sliding glass door to her back porch to call her pet cat, but the animal that bounded out from under the porch was a young mountain lion.
The wild cougar, estimated at 75 pounds, jumped onto the porch and the resident, who wished not to be identified, quickly closed the door and called the Walsenburg Police Department.