Local News https://www.the-journal.com/feeds/local-news/ 2026-05-14 10:23:17 -0700 en-us https://www.the-journal.com/articles/dolores-board-approves-concept-plan-for-riverside-and-third-street-apartments/ DOLORES – After a lengthy debate extending well into Monday night, the Dolores Town Board approved a concept plan for the new development proposed at Riverside and Third Street by KKV Development’s Br... 2026-05-14 04:00:00 -0700 63357aec-3dbb-44f9-9fe5-123765286ae7 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/barking-at-court-montezuma-county-explores-addressing-prairie-dog-overpopulation/ From bears wandering Dolores streets in daylight to burrowing beavers, officials say some wildlife in Montezuma County is increasingly becoming a burden. The issue is big enough the county commission ... 2026-05-13 05:00:00 -0700 438fb05f-f54f-41af-8bbf-26952fad9084 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/april-rain-lifts-cortez-precipitation-totals-but-relief-is-minor/ Despite a small reprieve from early April storms delivering 179% of the month's average precipitation, the local desert climate remains in the throws of the drought. A bout of hail and thunderstorms b... 2026-05-12 08:59:29 -0700 42e680e2-22b9-448a-b5b5-0e7434032e70 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/southwest-colorado-small-business-conference-tackles-burnout-professional-kindness/ IGNACIO – Fostering professional connections amid a shifting market and an often difficult business-ecosystem was a common theme at last week’s 14th annual Southwest Colorado Small Business Conference... 2026-05-12 03:35:47 -0700 e71c2195-f3ce-4050-a6ec-1cddd0a44e62 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/southern-ute-government-becomes-first-tribe-to-sign-federal-energy-agreement/ The Southern Ute Indian Tribe signed a Tribal Energy Resource Agreement with the U.S. Department of Interior on Monday, becoming the first tribe in the nation to do so, according to a tribal governmen... 2026-05-12 03:24:06 -0700 1c80f485-c427-439b-b59a-e67a75bb4153 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/october-trial-set-for-cortez-mother-accused-of-daughters-death/ A two-week trial has been scheduled for October in the case against Rachel Leonard, the Cortez woman accused of killing her 5-year-old daughter, Annika Sandoval. The closely watched Montezuma County h... 2026-05-11 03:40:38 -0700 ca5cfdc4-ba85-4605-9951-3cb001bd8205 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-to-shut-off-water-monday-for-seventh-street-water-line-project/ As part of the Seventh Street water line project, the city of Cortez will replace a water valve at South Chestnut and West Seventh streets on Monday, May 11. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or until the work i... 2026-05-11 10:53:37 -0700 8675c508-d5d1-4d61-86c6-c11e47983d40 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/mancos-to-impose-mandatory-outdoor-watering-restrictions-for-summer/ The town of Mancos has announced water restrictions for the summer, with seasonal watering guidelines already coming into effect May 1. The mandatory outdoor watering restrictions will come into place... 2026-05-11 10:49:49 -0700 633cf3f6-059b-4e0a-a384-6bc241ede05e https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-woman-pleads-not-guilty-in-veterans-park-beating-case/ A Cortez woman accused of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree assault pleaded not guilty Thursday in 22nd Judicial District Court. Nykhona Holiday appeared in court Thursday, enteri... 2026-05-09 08:36:45 -0700 0e43529f-4ca2-444c-a18c-1ed5fa8d5b39 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/florida-road-roundabout-art-sculpture-damaged-again-in-durango/ A 90-year-old man driving west on Florida Road crashed a Lincoln MKC through the roundabout near Chapman Hill and damaged a cyclist statue Saturday morning – one of only two remaining after a nearly i... 2026-05-09 01:46:27 -0700 6aa502d2-17c1-40c9-b078-ea8fc8720343 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-author-honors-father-in-chicken-soup-for-the-souls-latest-release/ Cortez author Curt Melliger always had a tattered American flag from his dad, a World War II veteran, swinging from his porch. With some of the proceeds from his publication in Chicken Soup for the So... 2026-05-09 11:00:00 -0700 2ca5e887-b76d-4619-9e57-40b506302d80 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/the-wilds-tavern-opens-at-former-switchback-taco-site/ Cocktail bar and dinner restaurant The Wilds Tavern opened May 1 on Main Avenue in the space formerly occupied by Switchback Taco. Lindsay and Dan Gearig, owners of Switchback, announced plans to con... 2026-05-09 05:00:00 -0700 c0503aa8-4491-4970-a008-9beace279808 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/candidates-discuss-election-security-and-voter-education-at-montezuma-county-clerk-debate/ The Montezuma County Republicans hosted a friendly debate between the two county clerk candidates at the Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce Wednesday evening. Republicans Lenetta Shull, chair of the cou... 2026-05-08 03:00:00 -0700 78fd9dbb-11b3-4384-9771-d4a2f0476cd5 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/mesa-verde-gardeners-to-hold-16th-annual-plant-sale-at-new-location/ Mesa Verde Gardeners will hold its 16th Annual Plant Sale on May 23 at a new location in the Children’s Kiva parking lot, 601 N. Mildred Road. The sale is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. and will go u... 2026-05-08 11:00:00 -0700 341798da-7b72-4f8a-9054-7e9c447ddb64 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/kkv-development-proposes-12-rental-and-for-sale-homes-for-downtown-dolores/ DOLORES – A local developer’s proposal could bring affordably priced housing and commercial space to downtown Dolores at Riverside Avenue and South Third Street. DOLORES – For the downtown at Sout... 2026-05-08 05:00:00 -0700 e9f45265-7501-4b65-998e-36ebf2283cdb https://www.the-journal.com/articles/private-helicopter-crashes-at-durango-la-plata-county-airport/ Emergency workers responded Thursday to a helicopter crash at Durango-La Plata County Airport. The crash occurred about 12:25 p.m. off the runway but on or near a taxiway. The private chopper, regist... 2026-05-07 01:02:51 -0700 26db593c-0073-4db5-a30f-3c8b5485c58c https://www.the-journal.com/articles/four-corners-beekeepers-enter-spring-with-optimism-despite-challenges/ Farmers and avid backyard gardeners alike arrived at IFA Country Store in Cortez early Tuesday morning, eager to pick up their bees from the back of a dusty white trailer. A few stragglers that had st... 2026-05-07 05:00:00 -0700 b84b01ac-6ca9-4f22-b341-985ae909c144 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-businesses-tagged-in-graffiti-spree-late-tuesday-night/ Multiple Cortez businesses around Main Street were tagged in a graffiti spree late Tuesday night, including Methodist Thrift Shop, LaDawn’s Resale Shoppe and Just Creatures and Habitats. City spokespe... 2026-05-06 04:47:52 -0700 3d654b17-3956-476a-9283-25f0b5704552 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/the-search-continues-for-towaoc-man-missing-for-a-year/ The search continues for Towaoc man Conrad Silas, who has been missing for over a year. Silas was last seen in the 540 block of Mountain Sage Road in Towaoc on April 17, 2025. He was 48 years old at t... 2026-05-06 10:26:05 -0700 466bf15a-368b-45d9-82f8-a0cf9905f9aa https://www.the-journal.com/articles/freeze-watch-issued-for-southwest-colorado-on-wednesday-night/ The National Weather Service issued a freeze watch for communities in Southwest Colorado, including Cortez, Mancos, Dove Creek, Towoac and Durango. Late Wednesday through early Thursday, residents ca... 2026-05-05 07:17:10 -0700 7fc4e286-a2bb-48a4-bcc1-97c965048c4b https://www.the-journal.com/articles/gop-candidates-for-montezuma-county-commissioner-square-off-in-debate/ Republican candidates for Montezuma County commissioner laid out competing visions on taxes, land use and transparency Monday during a debate at the Cortez Chamber of Commerce. Voices echoed off t... 2026-05-05 07:05:49 -0700 faf3b880-ec2b-4eb4-90bf-4168b9e846f2 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/montezuma-county-cleanup-days-target-blight-wildfire-risk/ Spring is settling in across Montezuma County, and Commissioner Jim Candelaria is urging residents to take advantage of the season by cleaning up their properties and donating usable items. On May 15 ... 2026-05-05 06:17:48 -0700 d1397415-3d04-4473-923f-83015bc4ac94 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/first-responder-students-simulate-real-world-tragedies-at-pueblo-community-college/ MANCOS – As the Flight For Life Colorado helicopter began circling Pueblo Community College’s Southwest campus in Mancos on Saturday, graduating law enforcement and health care students gazed up in aw... 2026-05-05 05:00:00 -0700 6bb3d605-a738-4fd6-ba19-fd91c096b211 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/southwest-health-celebrates-hospital-week-with-annual-5k-community-picnic/ Southwest Health System is hosting a week of events for National Hospital Week, including a 5K and community picnic to feature its annual report for a third year in a row. Hospital Week recognizes Cor... 2026-05-04 06:25:33 -0700 a98d1bc6-f577-49df-b7b6-ab3edb6c3962 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/driver-passenger-who-died-in-car-crash-near-bayfield-identified/ Two people who were found dead after their car crashed on U.S. Highway 160 just east of Bayfield on Saturday have been identified. La Plata County Coroner Jann Smith said Monday that 25-year-old Deva... 2026-05-04 06:18:23 -0700 ec2ff2b8-a6f8-4382-9c2a-229b63b17ea0 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/construction-at-cortez-municipal-airport-will-close-runways-overnight/ The Cortez Municipal Airport begins closing its runways overnight as part of a construction project aiming to improve the safety and longevity of the airfield. Runways will open again in the daytime t... 2026-05-04 05:26:34 -0700 45b5c49a-fc4d-4006-93c0-823a3e713c04 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/dolores-library-board-orders-workplace-review-amid-complaints/ DOLORES – Conflict within the Dolores Library District Board resurfaced Friday as trustees discussed a series of anonymous complaints about Executive Director Sean Gantt’s leadership. A special meetin... 2026-05-04 02:44:27 -0700 b8ee05f6-6c8c-42f9-a833-45579ae79d4b https://www.the-journal.com/articles/republican-commissioner-debate-rescheduled-for-monday/ After a last-minute cancellation, the Montezuma County Republican Central Committee reset its county commissioner candidate debate for Monday. The debate will be held at from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cortez... 2026-05-03 05:29:00 -0700 469b3e4b-cfbe-42ec-8e54-d24cc4248121 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/hearing-set-in-montezuma-county-judge-ian-maclaren-misconduct-case/ A formal hearing in the judicial misconduct case against Montezuma County Judge Ian MacLaren has been set for three days in August, where the outcome may determine whether he remains on the bench. The... 2026-05-02 05:00:00 -0700 a491e828-03bb-4bbd-b464-f7e915fb98b7 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-city-council-hears-water-supply-report-in-the-midst-of-severe-drought/ Ken Curtis, general manager of the Dolores Water Conservancy District, gave Cortez City Council an equally bleak and hopeful presentation about the devastating impacts of a dry winter and spring Tuesd... 2026-05-01 06:07:56 -0700 9deaf52c-8d85-4544-a0f8-8ac3741558bc