Hello Arboles! Wow! Am I glad winter is gone and I am looking forward to Hot Summer days. Looking out at the lake one will notice that the level is quit low. The State Park is lowering the lake in anticipation of a heavy spring runoff. Wolf Creek received just shy of 500 inches of snow this winter, an amazing amount, along with the snow came weeks of below freezing nights in January. Ask any old timer and he/she will say that that is what the winters used to look like. It is only April and already the mosquitoes are about, while working outside in the garage I heard that all familiar buzz, thinking to myself it is too early and too cold for mosquitoes as yet, but the proof was flying around my head a clear indication of what is to come. Remember your sun screen, repellent and let’s all be safe this summer. See ya on the lake! ... Anna

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Arboles/Allison Neighborhood Watch: Informational Article April 2008 Arboles/Allison Neighborhood Watch, which began in the summer of 2007, has proven to be a valuable system for neighborhood and regional communications including a fire alert system and crime prevention and reporting. Aligning with law enforcement agencies including the Southern Ute Police Dept., La Plata and Archuleta County Sheriff’s Offices, the Neighborhood Watch has net at least every other month.

Meetings have been attended by representatives from the So. Ute P. D. and Archuleta Co. Sheriff’s Dept. (and reports have been made available regularly by the La Plata Co. Sheriff’s Dept.) with review of any pertinent emergency responses in our area since the previous meeting and discussion of neighbors’ concerns, questions, and observations.

Topics have included burglary prevention, Recognition of Meth Abuse& Drug and Substance Abuse Prevention; discussions have also included Fire Alerts and Flood Prevention Status. The “Call Tree” system is used for reminding members of Neighborhood Watch meetings but also for alerts about upcoming prescribed burns. Meetings also provide useful handouts on various topics as well as information from previous meetings’ presentations. Neighborhood Watch signs are popping up all over this region.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday May 27 at the Arboles Catholic Church at 7 p.m. For more info. or to sign up if you are not yet a member, call either 883-5346 or 883-5456.

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Come meet your neighbors! Colorado Southwest Properties is locally owned and is located in Arboles, Colorado. Stop by and visit Tom and Anna. We can answer most of your questions or just help you find your way around. Great News !! The Pagosa MLS has now joined CREN (Multiple Listing Services) which includes Southwest Colorado, parts of New Mexico and much more. Now more Realtors have access to your property. Buying or selling, we can help. You can find us at 18 West Cedar, just off the Hwy in front of the Baptist Church.

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Two Rivers Marina Report: Wow, don’t the warmer temps and clear ground look good!! Cabin Fever, yes, I do know how it feels. The moisture is so wonderful for the land, crops, flowers, wildlife, and very important to all of us, meaning abundant water in our favorite lake.

This coming Memorial Day we will be starting our 4th season here in beautiful Navajo State Park. Two Rivers Marina will again have a great group of employees to help with all your boating needs. This year will bring something new that almost everyone has been asking for “Rental Boats”. 1 – Alum. Fishing boat, 4- 18’ – 21’ Pontoons, 1 – 30’ Weekend Pontoon and 1 – 20’ Ski Boat, with prices from $150.00 to $400.00 per day. If you don’t have the opportunity to boat regularly, you can rent cheaper than you can own. I know that sounds strange coming from the ex-boat salesman but that is a fact.

Please come down to visit, look us over and also check out the new boats. The coffee pot is on and the bathrooms clean. See you soon! The Two Rivers Gang, Neal, Ginger, Ted, Gerald, Adele and Tom.

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Greetings from the Arboles Post Office! This is Brandon Cruz. I have been acting Postmaster since Thanksgiving, and I would like to tell all of the customers that use the Arboles Post Office; thank you for your continued patronage. You have been great and I thank you for making the Post Office a great place to work. I will be leaving in mid May, as your new Postmaster will be arriving, but I just wanted to leave by saying thank you, and leave you with a few tips on the proper way to address mail, so that the new Postmaster can find you better! Please always use your zip plus four. That means write your zip code like this: Jane Doe P.O. Box 9998 Arboles, CO 81121 – 9998 ….The last four will by YOUR P.O. Box number. This will help us find you and get your mail quickly as possible to you. Again, thank you for making my time here great?

Take Care and God Bless! Brandon Cruz, OIC Arboles Post Office.

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Appenzeller Excavation and Construction can fill all your general needs. We specialize in excavation, hauling, concrete or construction. Located in Arboles. 883-5423 or 883-5428

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La Tienda De Rosa originally opened for business in Arboles June 1987 as a convenience store selling a few home made food items to go. The business was named to commemorate the business owned by Martha T’s Grandfather, Jose V. Quintana and her Father, Miquel Quintana, who for a combined total of 60 years owned and operated a mercantile/ store in Rosa, New Mexico. Businesses, residences, and small farms in Rosa were inundated by the waters of Navajo Dam in the Early 1960’s.

Martha T’s is open 6:00 am to 2: pm. Monday thru Thursday. 6:00 am to 8:00 pm on Friday Closed: Saturdays, Sundays and Major Holidays. Martha T’s specializes in home made salsa, red & green chili sauces, sopapillas, home made pastries, pies, cookies and cakes. To go orders on all items accepted. Phone #970-883-2400

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Navajo State Park News by Doug Secrist, Park Manager: Spring has officially arrived and summer is just around the corner. This past winter seemed to be especially long, cold, and certainly snowy.

One of the new challenges we will be facing this summer deals with an issue that is attracting more and more attention among boaters here in Colorado; that issue is zebra mussels. Zebra mussels are tiny mollusks or clam-like creatures that first appeared in the United States in 1986 in the Great Lakes Region. It is believed that they were brought into this country in the ballast water of large cargo ships. Since that time, they have steadily spread across this country primarily by boats that have been trailered by the public or commercial haulers coming from other waters infested with zebra mussels. Now, unfortunately, zebra mussels have recently been found in Pueblo Reservoir here in Colorado. The problem with zebra mussels is that they are extremely prolific and can drastically alter the environmental balance of a body of water. Zebra mussels are causing millions of dollars of damage to water control structures and irrigation facilities, are causing engine damage on commercial and recreational boats, and can destroy the recreation value of local waters and beaches by depositing thousands of sharp, foul smelling shells in popular recreation areas.

To help prevent the spread of this extremely troublesome creature, Colorado State Parks is developing a plan that will include inspection of vessels for these aquatic hitchhikers. As a part of this plan, we are asking area boaters for their assistance and cooperation in this prevention effort by:

· thoroughly checking their boats and trailers before launching

· thoroughly checking their boats and trailers before leaving an area

· removing any plant material and placing it in a trash container

· draining water from equipment including bilges or live wells

· drying the boat thoroughly

By taking a few minutes to check for these unwanted hitchhikers, we can hopefully prevent zebra mussels from becoming a serious problem here at Navajo.

For more information about zebra mussels or other questions about Navajo State Park, please our office at (970) 883-2208.

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TARA Community Center: From Dream to Reality! Many of you have asked questions about the building progress for the new Community Center, so we are bringing you up to date. TARA has made the down payment for the new Community Center. The building is complete and will be arriving early in May. If you drive down Milton Lane you will notice that the excavation has been completed. The concrete will be poured by the end of the month and the projected completion date for the building is June 30, 2008. TARA continues to raise money to complete the lower level which will house the library and museum. Volunteers and your ideas are needed as we grow and begin to utilize the building. Thank you for your interest and donations. If you would like to contribute, any and all donations are welcome. Please send donations to P.O. Box 1853 Arboles CO 81121-1853

If you have questions please call Karla Peskuski at 883-2232 or Jane Amundson at 883-3070.