Local News - The Journal

First City Council candidate forum showcases conflicting visions of Cortez

Candidates divided between optimism and criticism over city’s direction

Man who rammed vehicle into Michigan synagogue was from Lebanon

WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. – The armed man who rammed his vehicle into one of the nation’s largest Reform synagogues on Thursday has been identified as a 41-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen who...

DATE: Mar 13, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

Former Fort Lewis College basketball coach denies claims of ‘toxic’ culture

Bob Pietrack acknowledges sending texts using N-word but denies racism, academic misconduct

DATE: Mar 13, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

Chapman Hill ski area shuts down for the season

Warm temperatures and thin snowpack end Durango hill’s winter run

DATE: Mar 13, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

‘No Secret Police’ group gathers enough signatures to advance anti-mask initiative

Durango City Council could adopt proposal banning masked officers or send measure to voters

DATE: Mar 12, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

Holiday does not enter plea in Veterans Park homicide case

Plea negotiations continue between prosecutors and defense

DATE: Mar 12, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

Cortez to host annual city job fair March 20

Openings include golf course staff, lifeguards, summer camp workers

DATE: Mar 12, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado House committee advances bill targeting sexual abuse in jails

Alleged victim says former La Plata County jail commander ‘fouled his oath and utilized his power to victimize women’

DATE: Mar 12, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

911 technology in Durango is going digital

Emergency communications director says AI isn’t replacing dispatchers any time soon

DATE: Mar 12, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

Cortez council calls Colorado wildfire code an unfunded state mandate

State-required wildfire building standards may raise construction costs and city workload

DATE: Mar 11, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

Dolores Family Project reopens Tuesday food distributions

Program continues weekly at community center

DATE: Mar 11, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

Kyle Sloan selected as new Cortez Municipal Airport director

City chooses Kyle Sloan as airport Director Jeremy Patton’s successor

DATE: Mar 11, 2026 | CATEGORY: Local News

Community Calendar: What’s happening in the Cortez areaCORTEZSaturday, March 14MOCO improv comedy night, 7 p.m., Sunflower Theatre, 8 E. Main St. Nothing scripted. Cost: $15. sunflowertheatre.org.Sunday, March 15Jeet James City Council candidate meet-and-greet, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Master Jesus Basecamp, 111 S. Elm St. Free. Details: http://www.apprentice-james-4-cortez.org.Master Jesus Basecamp open house, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 111 S. Elm St. A free nighttime base for people working to get back on their feet. Free. Tuesday, March 17Hearing Session with James for City Council, noon-1 p.m. Cortez Public Library. Discussion on what Cortez should look like in three years. Free. Repeats March 18 and 20. Contact: (202) 603-8857.Wednesday, March 18“A Last Legacy: Estate Planning Workshop for Farm and Ranch Families,” 3-6:30 p.m. First National Bank Cortez, 2258 E. Main St. $15. Register by March 13. Details: https://col.st/jhle5.Hearing Session with James for City Council, noon-1 p.m. Cortez Public Library. Discussion on what Cortez should look like in three years. Free. Contact: (202) 603-8857.Thursday, March 19Life affirming, energy balancing, 3-4 p.m. Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park St. Group energy-balancing session led by Heather of Voltage Vibes, with an explanation of Accunect. Free. Contact: hnowlin@cortezco.gov.Friday, March 20“What the River Knows” documentary plus panel discussion, 7 p.m., Sunflower Theatre, 8 E. Main St. Explore the reemergence of Glen Canyon. Cost: $12. sunflowertheatre.org.Hearing Session with James for City Council, noon-1 p.m. Cortez Public Library. Discussion on what Cortez should look like in three years. Free. Contact: (202) 603-8857.Saturday, March 21Art for the Animals, 5-8 p.m. Turquoise Raven Art Gallery, 104 E. Main St. Fundraiser for For Pets’ Sake and Blackhat Humane Society, with music. Tickets $10 or $25, which includes two glasses of wine. Get tickets at the gallery. Contact: (970) 529-3597.

Wednesday, March 25Southwest Colorado Concerts presents The French Family Band, 7 p.m. Montezuma-Cortez High School auditorium. Classic country performers from Nashville, Tennessee. $25; youth and students free. Details: swcoloradoconcerts.org.Friday, March 27“Preserved” plus filmmaker Q&A, 7 p.m., Sunflower Theatre, 8 E. Main St. Explore conservation success at Vermejo, with filmmaker Ben Clark attending. Cost: $15. sunflowertheatre.org.Saturday, March 28Mesa Verde National Park Annual Volunteer Open House, 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m., Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center. Drop-in opportunity to learn about volunteering at Mesa Verde National Park. Free. Contact: meve_vip@nps.gov; www.nps.gov/meve/getinvolved/volunteer.htm.Monday, March 30Mesa Verde National Park Annual Volunteer Open House, 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m., Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center. Drop-in opportunity to learn about volunteering at Mesa Verde National Park. Free. Contact: meve_vip@nps.gov; www.nps.gov/meve/getinvolved/volunteer.htm.Friday, April 3Carute Roma Gypsy Band, 7 p.m., Sunflower Theatre, 8 E. Main St. Enjoy swinging Roma classics and a dance-floor. Cost: $12. sunflowertheatre.orgMondaysSquare dance lessons with Four Corners Dancers, 7-8:30 p.m. Cortez Senior Center, 117 N. Chestnut St. Enter through the west entrance. Make friends, laugh and exercise. No partner needed. Details: Duane Randol at 560-2137, Patty Randol at (970) 560-4709 or duaneandpatty.randol@gmail.com.Dance with grace and rhythm, times vary, Montezuma County Annex Building, 107 N. Chestnut St. Beginner’s dance lessons with Jared and Martha Ann. Fees vary. Call or email for information. (970)560-7462 or dancewithgraceandrhythm@gmail.comTuesdaysSouthwest Art League, 10 a.m. Annex Building, Senior Center, 107 N. Chestnut St. Paint, share ideas, give demos and give unsolicited advice. All welcome. Details: (720) 448-0418.The Gifts of Grief, 4-5:30 p.m., The First United Methodist Church, 515 N. Park St., Cortez. Donations. On First Tuesdays of the month, learn new strategies for healthy caregiving. Details: Nuriya at (970) 903-0907, Nuriya@onehearthouse.comRichard Rohr Study Series, 10 a.m., First United Methodist Church. Free. Explore Richard Rohr’s books “Jesus’ Alternative Path” and “The Tears of Things.” Details: (970) 565-3002; firstumccortez@gmail.comFamily Storytime, 10:30-11 a.m. Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park St. Pre-K and younger.Cellphone/Tablet Tech Help, 10-11 a.m. Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park St. For cellphone tech help at the library, schedule your time by contacting Heather Roe: hroe@cortezco.gov. Details: (970) 568-5380.Bridge, 1:30-4 p.m. Montezuma Valley Presbyterian Church, 350 S. Washington St. Beginners, veteran players and experts. Coffee and snacks with light fellowship. Attendees should be vaccinated and/or masked. Details: (970) 565-7024 or (970) 565-6088.Diabetes Support, 3-4:30 p.m. Southwest Memorial Hospital in the Kiva Room, 1311 N. Mildred Road. Group meets every second Tuesday of the month. Details: (970) 564-2275.Show Me the Money, 4:15-5:30 p.m. Montezuma County High School Library, 418 S. Sligo St. A program for high school students to learn about finances. Details: (602) 505-0308 or aadams@scyclistens.org.Smart Recovery, 5-6 p.m. Cortez Integrated Healthcare, 691 E. Empire St. Free. Peer-led support group, self-empowering abstinence based self help group. Details: Kevin Frazier (970) 335-2203. Indigenous Wellbriety Talking Circles, 6-7:30 p.m. Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market St. Free. All are welcome. Join us in person and online. Online Zoom Meeting: 828 5707 3970 Passcode: 287826 Details: Call (970) 564-3301 or Email: imo.iwpdirector@gmail.com.Mesa Verde Back Country Horsemen monthly meeting, happy half-hour at 6:30 p.m.; 7 p.m. meeting. First National Bank Meeting Room, 2258 E. Main St. Group meets every second Tuesday of the month. Details: mesaverdehorsemen.com.American Legion Meeting, 7 p.m., first Tuesday of the month, Ute Mountain Post 75, 320 N. Harrison St. Free. The monthly meeting is for members and prospective members. Details: (970) 565-8151.Comedy Improv Jams, second and fourth Tuesdays through August, 6-8 p.m., Sunflower Theatre, 8 E. Main St., $20, Learn an improv skill. Register: sunflowertheatre.orgWednesdaysCentering Prayer, 12:15-12:45 p.m. St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 110 W. North St. Free. A weekly space offered for quiet contemplation, meditation, and prayer. Every Wednesday. Details: (970) 565-7865 or office@stbarnabascortez.org.Montelores Catholic Community LIFT Religious Education classes, 5:45-6:45 p.m. Church Center, 20 S. Market St. Preschool through Grade 8. Love and praise Jesus, learn the Catholic tradition, grow in prayer and service. Details: (970) 565-7308, ext. 102.ThursdaysBook Club, 5-6 p.m., First Thursday, Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park St. Free. All are welcome. hroe@cortezco.gov.Cortez Downtown Market, 5-8 p.m. Montezuma Park, 3 W. Montezuma Ave. Free. Join this third Thursday community event featuring live music, vendors, food & drink, giveaways and family fun! Details: shopcortez.com/third-thursdays/.Strengthening Families Class, 5:30-8 p.m. The Piñon Project, 210 E. Main St. Come out to learn skills for the whole family to support bonding and communications. Meets Thursdays through May 30. Details: Asialynn Hager (970) 529-3305.Alphabet Soup Support Group meeting, 6 p.m., Piñon Project, 210 E. Main St. First and third Thursday support group for parents, caregivers or guardians of children with special needs or behavioral challenges. Child care available with advanced arrangements. Details: Maggie at mtevault@pinonproject.org or (970) 564-1195.Youth Leadership Council, 6–8:30 p.m. Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market St. Open to Montezuma County high school students.Bingo, 6:45 p.m. Cortez Elks Lodge, 2100 N. Dolores Road. Begins Sept. 2. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Food and beverages available. Details: (970) 565-3557.Indigenous Wellbriety Talking Circles, 1-2:30 p.m. Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market St. Free. All are welcome. Join us in person and online. Online Zoom Meeting: 828 5707 3970 Passcode: 287826 Details: Call 970-564-3301 or Email: imo.iwpdirector@gmail.com.In-person dementia support group, Beehive Homes at the Cortez Homestead, 694 Cottonwood St. Group meets every third Thursday. Details: (970) 529-2050.Self-Care for Caregivers, 4-5:30 p.m., The First United Methodist Church 515 N. Park St. Donations. Third Thursdays of the month. Details: Nuriya at (970) 903-0907, Nuriya@onehearthouse.com.FridaysChapter 44 Disabled American Veterans lunch, noon. Lindsay-Geer monthly meeting at 12:30 p.m. Veterans Outreach Center, 432 N. Broadway. Group meets every first Friday of the month. Details: (970) 565-4310.Men's Support Group, 2–3 p.m. Hospice of Montezuma, 512 N. Broadway, Cortez. Details: (970) 565-4400.Game Night with Piñon Project, 6 p.m. Free. Virtual. Ages 7-17. Details: Landon, (970) 529-3305 or lcook@pinonproject.org.Coffee, Crafts and Conversations, every third Friday, 10 a.m.-noon, Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park St. Free. Space for crafters and conversationalists. Coffee and tea are available. hroe@cortezco.gov.TOPS weight-loss meeting, weigh-in at 9:45 a.m., meeting at 10:30 a.m., Cortez City Hall, 123 Roger Smith Ave. Everyone welcome. Details: dtownley@centurynet.netSaturdaysRed Dress Awareness and Action events, noon to 2 p.m. Corner of Main St. and Mildred Road. Details: (612) 422-0791.Second Saturdays: Four Corners Dance, 7–9 p.m. Montezuma County Senior Center, 117 N. Chestnut St. First dance is free, cover is $15 general admission or $10 per member. DJ plays dance music for all ballroom and two-step dances, all ages welcome. Details: (970) 759-0980 or janheylart@yahoo.com.SundaysFarmers & Artisans Market, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. The Warehouse, 30 N. Beech St. Free admission. Local produce, meat, plants, herbs, products, handmade goods. Third Sundays through April. Details: (970) 565-6424 or fourcornersfoodcoalition@gmail.com.DOLORESTuesdaysDolores Rotary Club Meetings, 7:30 a.m. Dolores Public Library, 1002 Railroad Ave. First meeting is free, annual membership $155. Details: Susan Lisak, doloresrotary3256@gmail.com or (970) 426-9902.Dolores Mountain Quilters meeting, 9:30 a.m. social, 10 a.m. meeting, Community Center, 400 Riverside Ave. Masks required. Limit 50 people. First Tuesdays of the month. Details: Laura Bauer, (303) 875-4783 or email, ljbauer59@yahoo.com.LEWIS-ARRIOLAFriday, April 10Ranching for profit, all day. Lewis Arriola Community Center, 21176 Road S. Two-day workshop continues April 11. $50. Contact: Call (970) 508-0674 or email hdcd.manager@highdesertconservation.org. MANCOSFriday, March 6Mancos Creative District songwriting panel, 4-5:30 p.m., Mancos Commons, 135 W. Grand Ave. Free panel with local musicians ahead of the Mixed in Mancos concert. No cost. Details: mancoscreativedistrict.comSaturday, March 7Mixed in Mancos concert, 6-9 p.m., Mancos Opera House, 136 W. Grand Ave. Annual concert featuring Mean Irene, Stillhouse Junkies and Genuine Cowhide. Event celebrates original Four Corners music and is professionally recorded for later album release. Cost varies; see website. Details: mancoscreativedistrict.com.Saturday, June 20Mancos BurroFest Birthday Bash 2026, 10 a.m., 150 Grand Ave., Mancos. Hosted by the Mancos Creative District. Celebrate burros through art and interaction. Free. Contact (970) 769-8429, events@mancoscreativedistrict.com or burrofest.com/.MondaysBallroom Dance Lessons, 3-8 p.m. Mancos Community Center, 130 W. Grand Ave. TuesdaysMontezuma County free legal clinic, 2-5 p.m. Mancos Public Library, 211 W. First St. Available every Second Tuesday of the month. Details: (970) 533-7600.WednesdaysStorytime, 10:30 a.m., Public Library, 211 W. First St. Weekly storytime for children and families. (970) 533-7600.FridaysFridays at the Library, 9 a.m., Public Library, 211 W. First St. Drop-in program with activities for all ages. (970) 533-7600.YELLOW JACKETFriday, March 27Pasture management for Southwest Colorado, 2-5 p.m. Southwestern Colorado Research Center, 16898 Road Z. Workshop covering reseeding strategies, weed management and a no-till drill demonstration. Free. Call (970) 508-0674 or email hdcd.manager@highdesertconservation.org.FARMINGTONTuesdaysTuesday Morning Birders, 8 a.m. Riverside Nature Center, North Browning Parkway. Free. Join a group of beginning and experienced birders to view the over 150 bird species observed at Berg and Animas Parks. Four Corners Chess Club, 5-7 p.m., upstairs from Mary’s Kitchen at San Juan College, west of the library. Players of all levels, from beginner to expert, are welcome. This club is hosted in partnership with Encore.WednesdaysToddler play date, 10 a.m. to noon. E3 Children's Museum and Science Center, 302 N. Orchard Ave. Free. Designed for families with young children to develop early motor skills and find new playmates. Details: (505) 599-1425.San Juan Fly Fishing Federation, 7 p.m. Farmington Civic Center, 200 W. Arrington St. Free to guests; $15 annual family membership. Bring your advice, share your techniques, meet other anglers every third Wednesday. Details: (505) 320-4238 or SJFFF505@gmail.com.

CORTEZ Saturday, March 14 MOCO improv comedy night, 7 p.m., Sunflower Theatre, 8 E. Main St. Nothing...

Aztec High wrestling captures 22nd state team championshipA total of five Tiger wrestlers brought home individual titles, Bloomfield’s Caylee Miller captures back-to-back state titles in girls wrestling tourney

RIO RANCHO – The Aztec High School boys wrestling team turned the state championship tournament into a showcase last weekend at the Rio Rancho Events Center, crowning five individual champions and rolling to its second straight Class A-4A team title.As a team, the Tigers dominated their competition, winning by a score of 241-156 over Belen. West Las Vegas, St. Pius and Silver rounded out the top five teams in the 37-team tournament.For Aztec, the team victory is the 22nd in the history of the program, making the Tigers by far the most prized prep wrestling team in the state of New Mexico. Last year, the Tigers earned the state team title despite just claiming one individual championship. This year, the team sent five to the top of the podium with five other wrestlers finishing in the top four in their respective weight classes.“It was really just small improvements from last year,” said Aztec head coach Levi Stout. “They just united and decided to get each other’s backs and really embraced the family atmosphere and they really bought in.”

Leading the charge for Aztec were individual state champions senior Ethan Vigil (120 pounds), junior James Moore (126), senior Taner Olguin (132), junior Cory Douglas (165) and senior Aiden Trujillo (215).Trujillo, who finished his prep career with an emphatic 9-3 decision over Isaiah Rivera of Albuquerque Academy, was emotional about being a part of such a historic wrestling program.“I’m so proud to call these guys my brothers,” Trujillo said. “Knowing I’m a part of this legacy and what this team has done in the past and what they’ll continue to do means so much to me.”

Vigil provided the quickest highlight of the finals, needing only 31 seconds to pin St. Pius X’s Dane Padilla to claim the 120-pound crown. Moore followed suit at 126, grinding out a 4-0 decision over Miyamura’s Austin Lopez. Olguin kept the momentum rolling at 132, securing a 6-2 decision against Santiago Medrano of West Las Vegas, earning his second individual state title. Olguin began his prep wrestling career winning a state title as an eighth-grader in 2022 at 106 lbs.“Getting that second state title has eluded him ever since his eighth-grade year and it’s a long story for him but he’s such a special and deserving champion,” said Stout after the tournament. Douglas pinned Kirtland Central’s Todd Robinson at the 2:32 mark to take the 165-pound title, capping off a remarkable season with a record of 44-5.

“We pushed each other all season long in that room to make each other better,” Douglas said after his win. “I came into this match a little flat I thought and I didn’t take the opportunity to win as soon as I saw it, but it means a lot to be here.”Podium FinishersWhile the five champions stole the spotlight, the Tigers’ depth was on full display with several other wrestlers earning guaranteed places:Nathan Hare (106): Took second place after falling to Valencia’s Dominik Suarez in the final.Baylon Black (144): Earned a hard-fought third-place finish with a 7-6 decision over Silver’s Cruz Burrola.Delano Black (157): Secured third place by pinning Jule May of Chaparral in 1:51.Ian Vigil (138): Finished fourth after a 7-1 decision loss in the third-place match.CJ Saiz (113): Placed fourth overall.Local RivalriesThe tournament also featured strong showings from neighboring Bloomfield and Kirtland Central. Bloomfield’s Kellan Ray captured the 150-pound state title with a dominant 19-3 technical fall over Zachary Katz of St. Pius X, earning Ray a second straight individual gold medal. Bloomfield's Bryce Lance (113) and Kirtland Central's Todd Robinson (165) and Chance Aspaas (175) all earned runner-up finishes.

Miller captures back-to-back state championshipsThe Bloomfield High School wrestling program has a new standard-bearer at the top of the podium.Sophomore Caylee Miller capped off a perfect season by pinning her way to the 235-pound title at the state wrestling championships. Miller defeated Goddard’s Vanessa Martinez in the first-place match, securing the fall at the 2:29 mark.Miller’s victory assured a top-10 finish for the Bobcat girls wrestling team, which finished eighth overall. Cleveland High took the overall state girls team title, ahead of Las Cruces, with Miyamura, Volcano Vista and Atrisco Heritage rounding out the top five in the 53-team event.The victory kept Miller’s unblemished record intact, as she finished the year 25-0. Martinez, also a sophomore, ended her impressive campaign with a 26-4 record.

A total of five Tiger wrestlers brought home individual titles, Bloomfield’s Caylee Miller captures back-to-back state titles in girls wrestling tourney

Photos/video: Silverton Skijoring

Durango City Council shows unanimous support for electric fencing, bear matsProposed rules include $50 fee, safety and placement standards

Durango City Council is poised to approve a permitting process for electric fences and bear “unwelcome” mats within city limits.Councilors voted unanimously to approve two ordinances establishing standards and a permit process for the wildlife deterrence equipment and are scheduled to take a final vote at their Feb. 17 meeting.Daniel Murray, development services manager for the city’s Community Development Department, said city staff members propose “medium allowance” regulations for electric fences and bear mats.Electric fences would require barrier fences around them to prevent accidental contact by people unaware they are electrified, Murray said. They would be permitted in side yards and backyards but not front yards, he said. The same restrictions would apply to bear mats; however, bear mats would be allowed on front porches so long as the porch is more than 20 feet from the street or sidewalk.The city will permit only commercially available electric fences and bear mats with up to 10,000 volts of electricity and up to 2 joules of energy, Murray said.A $50 permit application fee was proposed, and applicants would be able to file online. He said he anticipates Community Development would be able to grant permits within 24 hours after receiving applications.Community Development and Durango Police Department would share enforcement and regulation responsibilities, he said.Murray said Community Development consulted Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Bear Smart Durango in developing the proposed standards, and both organizations are willing to support the city implementing permitting for electric fences and bear mats.

Bear Smart Durango will aid the city in creating educational brochures with explainers about the permit process.“Electric fences are an effective and humane deterrent for wildlife,” Murray said. “They create a negative association with human spaces. The goal is to keep wildlife wild and a safer environment where there are fewer interactions between humans and wildlife.”Table to Farm Compost co-owner Monique DiGiorgio and Bayfield resident Sandhya Atkinson, who said she was a professional facilitator for the La Plata County Bear Working Group for six years, spoke in favor of removing the prohibition of electric fences and bear mats in city limits.CUT FOR PRINTDiGiorgio said Table to Farm Compost dealt with bears getting into bags of compost at its county facility for years before it installed an electric fence around its 4-acre facility. Once the fence was up, bears quickly learned easy meals were no longer available at Table to Farm Compost.“We installed the fence and they started to come to the northwest corner of the fence. We actually have lots of interesting videos showing them trying to get in,” he said. “After a couple of months of them not being able to get in, we started to see that decline. And now I can say it’s been over a year if not more, the bears are just ignoring the facility altogether.”She said electric fences are efficient and effective at reducing human and bear conflict. They are also safe for pets and people and have been implemented successfully in other Colorado communities.Atkinson said the La Plata County Bear Working Group consisted of city staff, law enforcement, Bear Smart Durango, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, as well as others.It tracked bear activity, provided public education and responded to bear incidents.Education alone isn’t enough, said Bayfield resident Sandhya Atkinson. “The most effective way to prevent conflict is physical prevention. If bears can’t access the food, they don’t return,” Atkinson said. “ ... That protects people and it protects bears.”She said wildlife-resistant trash containers in Durango are one example of that concept. Electric fences and bear mats are the next step.They are safe, temporary, affordable and highly effective. They deliver a brief deterrent shock that teaches a bear to stay away without harming the animal or posing risk to people or pets, she said.She said 30% of all bear reports in Colorado for 2025 were in La Plata County. More than 750 trash-related incidents were reported, and 17 black bears in the region were euthanized.“In my own neighborhood here in Bayfield, a bear broke into a compost bin last fall. After Bear Smart helped install local fencing, the problem stopped immediately,” Atkinson said. “There were no further conflicts, escalation or harm, and children and dogs in our community are safer now than they were before.”cburney@durangoherald.com

Proposed rules include $50 fee, safety and placement standards

Photos: Snowdown Light Parade 2026

Snowdown Light Parade offers a journey back in timeDinosaurs, prospectors and chain saws, oh my!

Main Avenue was transformed Friday into a menagerie of whimsy during this year’s Snowdown Light Parade.Dinosaurs, prospectors, yards of flannel, covered wagons, a yeti, humanoid trees, a healthy dose of Victorian garb, Jazzercise cowboys, chain saws, bubbles, bears, horses, rams, chickens and motorcycles all helped paradegoers get into a party mood and go back in time for this year’s Snowdown theme: Uniquely Colorado – Then and Wow!The parade, hosted once again by Purgatory Resort, gave participants the opportunity to time travel to celebrate Colorado’s 150th anniversary and all that makes the state special.Some floats leaned heavily into the theme of celebrating Colorado’s history and quirks – one with an intricately decorated Victorian room, another featuring a mega-sized miner working a steaming rock pile, and one sporting the infamous Denver International Airport mustang, Blucifer, among others.

Others – like a mobile boxing ring and pickleball court, a drivable airport luggage cart filled with suitcases and a vintage Barbie car – gained attention through their eye-catching presentations and quirky energy.Though many themed floats leaned into 19th and 20th century Durango and Colorado history, some – including the La Plata Electric Association float – brought paradegoers back millions of years to the age of the dinosaurs.Purgatory has hosted the light parade for more than eight years, said company spokesperson James Graven.Purgatory Marketing Director Matt Ericksen told The Durango Herald that hosting Snowdown is a way for the company to show its support for the festival and the community.“Hosting the Snowdown parade is a way for us to support a long-standing Durango tradition and the community that has supported Purgatory for so many years,” Ericksen said. “Especially as we mark our 60th season, it feels important to stay connected to the events that make this place special.”

Durango resident Emma Tomlinson has attended the parade for more than 30 years. Her 4-year-old son, Axel, has been coming to the parade since he was born.“People just love it – it’s a tradition,” Tomlinson said. “I think during the winter, we’re all at our low, you know? It’s a great pick-me-up. You get out and you see your friends and you invite your family, and people are just happy. It’s a great time to just celebrate and be with each other.”

Axel said his favorite part of the parade was the fire-breathing propane tanks released from hot air balloon baskets ferried on trucks.The parade concluded with a drone show depicting images from Colorado’s history – a new addition this year – and an impromptu appearance from anti-ICE protesters.

The protesters, a smaller cohort than one that filled Main Avenue only hours earlier, filed into the parade route just as the procession was coming to a close with homemade signs in tow, chanting, “stop deportation.” epond@durangoherald.com

Dinosaurs, prospectors and chain saws, oh my!

Durango High School students trade class for anti-ICE protest‘Skipping our lessons to teach you one,’ read one sign

About 200 Durango High School students and a smattering of supportive community members marched down Main Avenue on Friday during school hours to protest recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. Students intentionally missed two class periods to join the crowd, which made its way through DHS property, south to downtown Durango and back again. A handful of class absences can lead to disciplinary action – but many of the students marching on Main said they were more than willing to take an attendance strike to be at the protest.

“It’s our friends out there (being taken),” 11th grader Lila Scherer-Sickler said as she marched alongside her classmates. “It’s people we know in Durango, and we just felt like, as kids, we don’t often get an opportunity to have our voice out there, and we just took the chance. A bunch of us are missing AP classes right now, (but) I think that the opportunity to get your voice out there is more important.”

The crowd of high schoolers touted handmade signs and called out chants like, “We want justice, we want peace, we want ICE up off our streets.” Many passing cars and passersby honked, smiled and waved at the crowd. Some put up their middle fingers or shook their heads. One student said a classmate intentionally blew exhaust at protesters from his car as the crowd was leaving the school. Durango School District spokeswoman Karla Sluis told The Durango Herald in a written statement that the school was aware of the protest and “coordinated communication with local law enforcement and nearby facilities” before the march.

“We acknowledge students’ First Amendment right to express their views,” she wrote. “At the same time, we are responsible for students’ safety and education. Usual attendance policies apply, and we encourage respectful dialogue through planned, supervised events.” The protest comes after several months of rising tensions between ICE and U.S. citizens, in Durango and nationwide. A father and his two children were detained by ICE in October in Durango, despite having an open asylum case, and a man who had lived in Durango for 22 years was arrested in the city on New Year’s Eve. According to reporting by The Guardian, at least eight people have died in dealings with ICE less than a month into the new year – including Minneapolis residents Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot and killed by ICE agents weeks apart.

Other people killed in interactions with ICE this year include Luis Gustavo Núñez Cáceres, Keith Porter Jr, Geraldo Lunas Campos, Víctor Manuel Díaz, Parady La and Luis Beltrán Yáñez-Cruz, according to The Guardian. Eleventh grader Finn Hughes said he participated in the walkout because using his privilege as a white U.S. citizen is important. “These are abhorrent kidnappings, and they’re happening not just in Durango, but around the nation,” he said.

Durango resident Barb Day was one of the community members who joined the protest in support of the students. She brought along a repurposed sign she used in 1968 to protest against the Vietnam War. “We have this brutal masked secret police that are just breaking all of our constitutional rights, and people are dying,” she said. “My parents were in World War II – my dad was in the Navy, and my mom was a combat nurse – and I know what my parents fought for. And this is just so wrong. We’re losing decency.” Liza Tregillus of the Apoyo Immigrant Partner Team also joined the protest in support of the students who marched. “I’m very proud of them, and I think (they’re out here) because they’re losing their own friends, and their own friends are terrified,” she said. “I feel we’ve lost our democracy after 250 years, (and) we need young voters.”

Tregillus has worked closely with many immigrants in her line of work, including the father and two children – Fernando Jaramillo-Solano and his 12-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son – who were detained by ICE in Durango late last year. The family opted to self-deport back to Colombia after a month in the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, but told the Herald in January through Tregillus that they feared for their safety back in Colombia. One student, ninth grader Owen Holland, said he had a connection to the Jaramillo-Solano family. “I have a friend who lived here, from Mexico, and he was friends with them,” he said. “And it was like, really bad for my friend. It was really bad. It’s so much different than people make it seem.”

Tregillus said the tone of a protest is important, and that leading with curiosity and solution-based efforts – rather than confrontation – can make a difference. She said chants and signs that put the focus on immigrants being neighbors and friends, versus those that are meant to demean ICE or its agents, is one way she feels protesters can use their voices with intention. Many of the immigrants she works with are fearful that protests with tones that attack ICE agents may make conditions worse for them, she said. “From the immigrants, they would appreciate that our protests not be negative,” she said. “Many of them come from cultures of respect toward authority, and they’re frightened. ... They would rather we stick to a different tone. I talked to an immigrant (who had been detained by ICE), and he said every time there were protests outside when they were in lockdown, they were punished.” ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. Students returned to their classes after the protest, and the demonstration remained peaceful, with no pepper spray or rubber bullets deployed, nor any heavy police or ICE presence in sight – unlike some other recent protests in Durango. epond@durangoherald.com

‘Skipping our lessons to teach you one,’ read one sign

Mobile home residents north of Durango vote ‘yes’ to purchase property97.5% in approval of purchasing the mobile home property north of Durango

Residents of Hermosa Mobile Home Village, north of Durango, voted “yes” on Thursday to purchase the property on which their park sits and officially form a resident-owned community. It’s a major step toward ensuring long-term housing stability for the community. “Just the fact that we control our destiny is really the best thing about it,” said Brian Franks, who has lived in the park for six years. “An investment group is not going to come in and just start increasing our rent to where it's crazy now.” Residents mobilized this summer after learning the property owner planned to sell the park. Concerned about rent hikes and displacement, they moved quickly to form a cooperative and pursue a resident-owned community, or ROC – a model in which residents collectively own and manage the land beneath their homes.

Thursdays vote finalized that decision, with 97.5% of residents voting in favor. “It was basically our last out,” Franks said. The vote formally approved financing packages and loan terms, along with an engineering report outlining capital improvement needs and how those projects will be funded over the next decade. The final step is completing legal documents and closing on the sale, which Franks said is scheduled for March 3.Resident-owned communities allow manufactured housing residents to control rent increases and park management, rather than leaving those decisions to for-profit owners. The model – one solution to the affordable housing crisis – has gained more momentum in Colorado over the past several years, particularly in high-cost areas such as La Plata County, where housing prices have far outpaced wage growth.“There’s no place to live in Durango that anybody can afford,” said Olivia Burkhart, who has lived at Hermosa Village for all three decades she has lived in Durango.The process to form an ROC is complex and lengthy. Even with the help of Thistle ROC, the Colorado-based nonprofit that helps guide residents through the purchase and management of community-owned mobile home parks, there were still many parts to wrangle. “I’m pretty happy about it all and I’m glad it’s almost over,” Franks said. Securing financing was one of the biggest challenges, as residents worked to piece together multiple funding sources while keeping rents affordable.What worked in favor for Hermosa Village was the unusually supportive owner. “The previous owners’ willingness to sell it to us was really one of the more helpful things,” he said. “She turned down a higher bid, pretty much to make this happen for us. And I’m not sure a lot of people in America would do that.”While the purchase will stabilize rents long-term, it does require rent increases. Under the cooperative model, monthly rent will be set at $868, Franks said. That represents an increase for some longtime residents who were paying closer to $450 per month, while newer residents were already paying $700 or more.“It’s going to be hard to handle. Obviously, I won’t be able to retire for a while,” Burkhart said. “But if I want to stay in Durango and La Plata County, that’s what I’m going to have to pay – because there’s no place cheaper.”Initial rent projections were higher, driven in part by a remaining $800,000 loan balance carrying a 6.75% interest rate. In December, the cooperative’s five-member, resident-led board sought philanthropic assistance to reduce costs – and received support from several local organizations and lenders.“We got some really great local community support from HomesFund, Region 9 and First Southwest Bank,” Franks said. “We’re really happy about all that.”jbowman@durangoherald.com

97.5% in approval of purchasing the mobile home property north of Durango

Tina Peters involved in prison altercation, Department of Corrections saysFormer election appears to grab another inmate by the neck and shove her

Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was involved in an altercation with another incarcerated person over the weekend at the La Vista Correctional Facility, a state prison for female inmates, in Pueblo.According to a statement from the Colorado Department of Corrections, the incident occurred Jan. 18, and did not result in any injuries. Peters is currently serving a nine-year sentence for election fraud at the facility.In surveillance video footage obtained by CPR News, Peters is seen grabbing another inmate’s neck in a scuffle. The video shows Peters dragging a cart across the room toward a closet. Another inmate walks toward the closet and appears to begin to move the cart away from the closet door when Peters emerges from the closet and grabs the inmate by her neck and pushes her. The two appear to exchange words before Peters lets her go and leaves the room.

Peter Ticktin, Peters’ attorney, said in an interview Tuesday that Peters was attacked by the other inmate as Peters was moving a water cart, and that the video that captured the altercation is unclear. He insisted the other inmate struck Peters first.According to Ticktin, the other inmate said to Peters, “Let me go in there first,” before striking her. Peters allegedly responded with “I’ll just be a minute,” Ticktin said. Ticktin said those were the only words the two women exchanged.Ticktin said that Peters was later told that Peters herself was going to be charged with felony assault.It’s unclear if she will face any charges; a message left with 10th District Attorney Kala Beauvais was not immediately returned.The corrections department says it is conducting an “administrative investigation” following the incident. And as part of standard safety procedures, Peters was moved to a different housing area after the altercation. Corrections officials emphasized Peters was not placed in solitary confinement, noting that La Vista Correctional Facility does not utilize solitary confinement. Moving inmates involved in incidents while an investigation is underway is routine practice, the department said.No additional details about the cause of the altercation were released.To read more stories from Colorado Public Radio, visit www.cpr.org.

Former election appears to grab another inmate by the neck and shove her

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