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1 week ago | 
themountainmail.com | Cailey McDermott |Lijah Sampson
Lori Roberts, an integral part of Heart of the Rockies Chamber of Commerce for more than two decades, died May 24 after a long battle with cancer. Chamber staff sent out a press release announcing her death May 24. It read, “Lori was the heart of so much that makes this place special. Her kindness, generosity and unwavering support for local businesses left a lasting impact on everyone who had the joy of knowing her.
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1 week ago | 
themountainmail.com | Lijah Sampson
Denise Colby and Shirley Dominick won the Ladies Memorial Day golf scramble May 26 with a net score of 69 and a purse of $200. Linda Cutrara and Martha Dyer placed second, taking home $160, and third place was split between three couples, Erin Bull with Sara Hopkins, Becky Cookson with Kelly Wharry and Debbie Johnson with Raedell Trueblood.
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1 week ago | 
themountainmail.com | Lijah Sampson
Salida author Lindsay Rice will announce the publication of her first novel, “Birdenwheel,” with a reading and launch party from 6-10 p.m. May 31 at The Velveteen Lounge, 115 G St.The book, published May 5, encompasses the “Dead Scene” of the 1990s, centered around the culture of the Grateful Dead.
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1 week ago | 
themountainmail.com | Lijah Sampson
The 22nd annual Bluegrass on the Arkansas music festival on May 24 and 25 in Riverside Park drew a huge crowd this year, offering eclectic music and raising more than $30,000 for the hosting Rotary Club of Salida. Dr. Dan Wardrop, Salida Rotary president, estimated around 1,000 people attended on Saturday alone. He said his favorite bands were Magoo and Liver Down the River. RapidGrass, a local favorite, performed as the headliner Sunday night.
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1 week ago | 
themountainmail.com | Lijah Sampson
Longfellow Elementary School students brought in a total of 703 nonperishable food items during a recent food drive for The Grainery Ministries food bank, and community members contributed 259 more items for a total of 962. The students were invited to The Grainery Ministries on May 20 to sort and mark off the items. This is the eighth year of the project. The fourth grade raised the most with 252 items. The first grade took second with 180 items.
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2 weeks ago | 
themountainmail.com | Lijah Sampson
Ark-Valley Humane Society helped 24 pets and their owners May 18 by providing free microchips, microchip checks or ID tags at the AVHS south impound facility in Salida. Last year AVHS saw more than 100 more strays come into the shelter than in 2023, AVHS Executive Director Nikki Ritter reported.
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2 weeks ago | 
themountainmail.com | Lijah Sampson
Salida High School senior Avery Duquette signed a letter of intent May 20 to play golf at Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa. Originally from Conifer, Duquette moved to Salida in eighth grade. He has been playing golf since he was 8 years old, he said, inspired by his dad, Matt Duquette, who played a lot. Duquette said the aspect he most likes about golf is that it’s a team sport with an individual aspect to it. He has wanted to play at the college level ever since he started playing, he said.
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2 weeks ago | 
themountainmail.com | Lijah Sampson
The Salida Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, a motorcycle ride benefiting men's mental health and prostate cancer, raised $1,919 May 18. Twenty-four riders turned out this year, compared to 12 last year, Ron Gowins, one of the organizers, reported. The other organizer was Jeff Bamburg. Jay Reinan, on a 1929 BMW R28, received awards for both Best Original and Oldest Bike. Kurt Snyder, with a 1993 Honda XR600, took the award for the Best Custom.
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2 weeks ago | 
themountainmail.com | Lijah Sampson
Salida High School senior Kason Westphal signed a letter of intent May 20 to play basketball at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. A Salida native, Westphal said he has been holding a basketball since before he could stand. “I’ve just always had a love for the game.” Westphal is now 7 feet tall, and his height also helped him gravitate toward the sport, he said. Before he was even in school, he knew he wanted to play basketball at the college level at least, he said.
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2 weeks ago | 
themountainmail.com | Lijah Sampson
Editor's Note: This story was updated May 22. For the second time in Spartan history, the Salida High School girls’ golf team finished second at the 2025 2A State Golf Championships May 19-20 at Pueblo Country Club. Previously, the girls’ team took second in 4A in 2009. The three players finished the two days with a total score of 525. First place went to Colorado Academy, a private school in Denver, with a score of 507. Senior Kyndra Johnson took third place, scoring 151 over the two days.
