Local News https://www.the-journal.com/feeds/local-news/ 2026-08-14 10:39:50 -0700 en-us https://www.the-journal.com/articles/mancos-urges-residents-to-restrict-water-use-amps-up-restrictions-enforcement/ The town of Mancos issued a statement Wednesday warning citations will be issued to residents who don’t comply with mandatory water restrictions set in place due to continuous extreme drought conditio... 2026-08-14 05:00:00 -0700 6f5632c5-a80d-4b40-9825-50fb653c392e https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-opens-2027-community-support-grants/ Cortez opened its 2027 Community Support Grants to local nonprofits seeking to address a unique need in the area. “Most years, the Cortez City Council budgets money from the general fund to support no... 2026-08-13 03:00:00 -0700 805fde37-24fc-444f-b8e4-31deba660874 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-voters-to-decide-on-lodgers-tax-increase/ Cortez City Council officially approved the lodgers tax increase question for the November ballot Tuesday evening. This winter, Cortez voters will decide whether the city should increase its long stag... 2026-08-13 05:00:00 -0700 9c14c5f2-e27b-4961-8972-2eaae4c02c11 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/rise-southwest-sets-fifth-annual-suicide-prevention-walk-for-sept-12-in-cortez/ Organizers of the RISE Southwest Suicide Prevention and Awareness Walk are preparing for the event’s fifth year, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 12 at Montezuma Park, 3 W. Montezuma Ave. in Co... 2026-08-12 03:00:00 -0700 a9c908bd-d260-4bb0-afc2-5a5cc7b8916f https://www.the-journal.com/articles/22nd-judicial-district-attorneys-office-expects-busy-fall-with-multiple-murder-trials-scheduled/ In an update to the Montezuma County Commissioners, the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office explained there’s been a heavy caseload so far this year with a similar anticipation for fall, due to m... 2026-08-12 12:00:00 -0700 ae828672-6e81-42f8-a927-cd53b088cfcf https://www.the-journal.com/articles/csu-extension-recaps-strong-montezuma-county-fair-numbers-previews-future-events/ During a regular workshop Monday, Montezuma County commissioners received updates from some county departments and partnering offices. Emily Lockard, county director for the Colorado State Univer... 2026-08-12 08:00:00 -0700 91360649-f197-4679-a8be-6b1bedf86007 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/evening-overcast-could-block-meteor-shower-view-in-southwest-colorado/ The best meteor shower of the year will put on a dazzling show from Wednesday evening into the early morning hours of Thursday. But due to clouds carrying monsoonal rains, Southwest Colorado might mis... 2026-08-11 03:37:10 -0700 8fe6c98e-e664-43ca-b2ce-dfa93b071f52 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/ironwood-mill-contempt-hearing-delayed-over-address-dispute/ A yearslong civil case involving the former IronWood Mill outside Dolores returned to a 22nd Judicial District courtroom Monday, Aug. 10. The contempt hearing, planned for two days, ended within an ho... 2026-08-11 12:23:53 -0700 3e9a86d8-a434-486d-83fc-82664caf4af7 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/southwest-colorado-water-basins-have-a-new-representative/ The Southwestern Water Conservation District’s new general manager, Andrew Straub-Heidke, started in July, bringing 20 years of experience in Southwestern Colorado’s water management. He succeeds Stev... 2026-08-11 05:00:00 -0700 b89c349a-b326-4f1a-9f4e-534266995f12 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/injured-climbers-rescued-after-fall-from-el-diente-traverse/ Around 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, Dolores County Search and Rescue received a request for help from an injured climber who fell while traversing from El Diente to Mount Wilson along the San Juan Mountai... 2026-08-10 12:51:45 -0700 3671a46d-3f56-496d-8849-e22724ad5bd6 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/southwest-providers-practice-medicine-on-a-manikin-for-the-first-rural-health-symposium-at-fort-lewi/ Healthcare professionals from all over Southwest Colorado and New Mexico simulated severe medical scenarios on a highly realistic manikin and fostered a medical resource network for rural communities ... 2026-08-10 05:00:00 -0700 1f212366-174e-47ab-99a3-901163e5a1ef https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-makerspace-opens-5000-maker-challenge-for-creatives-in-four-corners-region/ Makers and creators living within 150 miles of the Four Corners are invited to submit original projects in a competition hosted by Fundamental Needs. The Cortez Makerspace Innovation Challenge will ha... 2026-08-09 12:30:00 -0700 ceff25d5-7828-46c9-9d0a-7142dc167cb9 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/addiction-resources-grow-in-cortez/ Ten years ago, those struggling with substance abuse disorders in Cortez faced limited resources from a much smaller recovery community. Now, as Montezuma County’s first sober living center flourishes... 2026-08-09 05:00:00 -0700 656a15ca-579c-4ff1-89d9-1c9aa3bce7b9 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-public-library-hopes-to-expand-digital-collection-with-hoopla/ The Cortez Public Library is implementing a new platform to house and distribute its digital collection this month, looking toward expanded offerings in its ebook and audiobook department, and opening... 2026-08-08 02:45:00 -0700 727cbcb9-9589-4ba3-b00f-fd3d1f500090 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/july-rain-helps-drought-in-cortez-though-this-years-rainfall-still-below-normal/ July delivered Cortez a break from the drought and spring heat wave, with above-average rainfall spanning the month and arriving, as local weather spotter Jim Andrus described it, precisely on time. ... 2026-08-08 09:00:00 -0700 73c6ad03-bac5-43e3-9248-2069ead2f538 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/montezuma-cortez-school-district-is-using-biblically-infused-reading-curriculum/ Officials in Montezuma-Cortez School District could have chosen a new elementary reading curriculum from more than 20 state-approved options. Instead, with little public discussion this summer, they p... 2026-08-08 05:00:00 -0700 68eaba81-5ac0-4ae5-b278-74dfcab14830 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cigarette-purchases-decline-in-colorado-so-does-funding-for-southwest-hiv-education-program/ A student at Fort Lewis College once asked Bailey Carlson whether HIV could be contracted from a toilet seat. Carlson, the Colorado HIV programs manager for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, ... 2026-08-07 02:00:00 -0700 561abbab-086c-408f-84ab-190a628b3b84 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/stakeholders-weigh-in-on-upper-dolores-wildfire-ready-plan-that-nears-completion/ A workshop hosted by Dolores Watersheds Collaborative gathered residents and representatives across federal agencies, local government, aquatics research and forest management Wednesday to discuss wil... 2026-08-07 05:00:00 -0700 29d77489-dac2-4fa7-82dd-afd94efab407 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-parks-and-recreation-announces-new-annual-summer-send-off-celebration/ The city of Cortez has announced the inaugural celebration of the first Summer Send-off, which will be held at 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday at the Parque de Vida Amphitheater, 425 Roger Smith Ave. in C... 2026-08-06 03:24:10 -0700 cbe56411-ad51-4f8b-a187-fcaf3bb8166b https://www.the-journal.com/articles/montezuma-county-sheriff-will-not-issue-eligibility-cards-under-new-colorado-gun-law/ Coloradans who live in Montezuma County and want to buy certain types of guns will not be able to get a newly required eligibility card from their local sheriff, the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office ... 2026-08-06 11:54:51 -0700 0cb10f41-8838-4fc7-817e-cbd50a0b6e37 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/three-projects-to-mark-montelores-coalitions-first-field-season-in-dolores-montezuma-counties/ After roughly two years building partnerships and gathering local input, Montelores Coalition, a sustainable land and recreation coalition, is preparing to initiate field work. The coalition announced... 2026-08-06 05:00:00 -0700 ff13e572-d90a-49b8-b5ce-163bb463a571 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/update-air-quality-advisory-for-western-central-colorado-extended-into-friday-morning/ An air quality advisory warning for large areas of Western and central Colorado, including La Plata, Dolores and Montezuma counties, was issues by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environm... 2026-08-05 04:00:43 -0700 16a577ed-b553-492b-b72e-cc144eab99c7 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/hospice-of-montezuma-nurse-earns-associate-degree-advances-to-registered-nurse-role/ Hospice of Montezuma recently announced that one of its longtime team members has completed her associate degree in nursing and officially stepped into a registered nurse position at the clinic. Cait ... 2026-08-05 10:53:27 -0700 21eea51f-8ec2-4bf1-bb1a-afa2edf4b92b https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-builds-master-plan-for-aging-water-infrastructure/ Western Slope-based engineering firm SGM presented the preliminary 20-year plan for repairs, replacement and funding for Cortez’s aging water infrastructure, which requires further build out to suppor... 2026-08-05 05:00:00 -0700 a7cb6ceb-a456-440a-bb47-eb416f729521 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/mancos-valley-summer-brewfest-set-for-aug-15-event-to-benefit-local-nonprofits/ The Mancos Valley Summer Brewfest returns from 2 to 8 p.m. Aug. 15 at Mancos Brewing Co., offering its trademark staples that include live music, local craft beverages, food and family activities whil... 2026-08-04 09:57:15 -0700 58da33ef-4f9a-4cb7-80ec-4b56f6be6ada https://www.the-journal.com/articles/rio-blanco-fire-south-of-pagosa-springs-reaches-1246-acres/ The Rio Blanco Fire that began south of Pagosa Springs last week had reached 1,246 acres by Tuesday afternoon as several communities remained on evacuation watch, and firefighting personnel rose to 37... 2026-08-04 03:05:41 -0700 6c1b4e9f-c2d1-4049-89e5-3048f2de6c62 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-moves-to-place-lodgers-tax-on-november-ballot-invites-public-comment/ Following debate over its intended purpose, the Cortez City Council approved, on first reading, the ballot language for a proposed 4% increase of the city’s lodgers tax. After its preliminary approval... 2026-08-04 05:00:00 -0700 074e4ddf-0f87-4981-acd0-6230b9cd378e https://www.the-journal.com/articles/man-receives-maximum-sentence-for-child-sexual-assault-in-cortez/ Utah resident Shayne Rowley was sentenced to 24 years to life in prison July 28 after being convicted in April by a Montezuma County jury for sexual assault of a child. “This maximum sentence undersco... 2026-08-03 08:49:41 -0700 ff7ee648-8f18-4496-b917-61b8d0be96b4 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/montezuma-county-fair-celebrates-tradition-and-future/ CORTEZ – Wandering between the barns at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds in the final week of July is like stepping through a living time capsule. The livestock and handiwork on display tell the tale ... 2026-08-02 06:40:11 -0700 9e3989b7-f945-4989-b578-76093f95459d https://www.the-journal.com/articles/splitting-hares-the-life-of-a-montezuma-county-fair-livestock-judge/ CORTEZ – Nearly a dozen cloven animals circle with their handlers around the main barn at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds. In the center of the ring, Bradie Midcap keeps a watchful eye on each, her e... 2026-08-02 06:29:53 -0700 5cd2f92b-79cd-49e4-9874-73c0879c8144