The City of Durango has installed a new self-help kiosk at City Hall to better assist city residents when the cashier is otherwise unavailable. Durango Parks and Recreation with Durango Fire Protection District are planning prescribed burns in Dalla and Overend Mountain Parks this December, and it’s already time to start planning Snowdown activities. By Hannah Robertson This story is sponsored by Service Master Restore and Tafoya Barret & Associates

TBK Bank has partnered with Housing Solutions for the Southwest to help bring the holiday spirit a little closer to home for 15 families this holiday season. Until December 16th, check out angel trees at various TBK Bank locations in Durango and Bayfield to adopt a family or donate gifts (financial and otherwise) directly to your closest branch. By Hannah Robertson This story is sponsored by Pop’s Truck & RV Center and 2180 Lighting and Design Studio

SOIL Outdoor Learning Lab will replace the closed Ohana Kuleana community garden when it opens next spring at Riverside Elementary School. The project includes four phases and organizers are still looking for volunteers and donors. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by StoneAge Tools and The Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado

When Sarah Kautzman was looking for a new addition to her family, she had an idea of the type of dog she wanted. After going to the shelter, Kautzman found a sweet puppy the shelter said would be a labradoodle. After taking home their new family member, the family quickly realized that she was definitely not a labradoodle, but a loving addition to the family just the same. Kautzman decided to write the short story “Accidental Tiny Dog” about the experience, which will be hitting bookshelves near you this holiday season, with proceeds going to support local animal shelters and rescues, encouraging the message “Adopt, don’t Shop”. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Tafoya Barret and Associates and Service Master Restore

All-Ability Parks address parts of the community that often have issues accessing more traditional playgrounds and parks. Spurred by community advocates, the City of Farmington plans to take the site of the former Tibbetts Middle School on Apache Street and transform the space from the dirt lot, track, and old building into a space reflecting the needs and wants of all individuals in the community - no matter how they get around or interact with their environment. The park, the first of its kind in San Juan County, is planned to break ground in the Fall of 2023. By Hannah Robertson This story is sponsored by Ace Hardware of Farmington and Boon’s Family Thai BBQ

Ever wondered what that odd contraption behind the fish hatchery is? Give a Dam discusses what a beaver deceiver is, and how it helps. Between helping to direct water flow and the impact on natural wetlands, beavers are an important part of the ecosystem and Give A Dam wants to help spread the word. By Dustin Walker This story is sponsored by The Payroll Department and the Man Cave Barbers

Wild Mushroom season can be rewarding in many ways. Not only can wild mushrooms be used as medicinal supplements, but you can also create delicious meals with them. By Dustin Walker. This story is sponsored by Kroegers ACE Hardware and the Law Firm of Downs McDonough, Cowan, and Foley

Noel Night is back, this time for a whole day, as it celebrates 20 years of encouraging local holiday shopping. The Durango Business Improvement District is bringing back its Holiday Rewards Program, and San Juan Basin Public Health is recognized for its efforts in making medical care accessible to more women in the community. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by The Law Firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan & Foley and Serious Texas BBQ

A helicopter landing on the DHS baseball field brought some buzz to the school’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) program and a new student-led medical club. Students looked inside the helicopter, met the crew and participated in a Q&A with an in-flight nurse and pilot. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Happy Pappy’s Pizza & Wings and Kroeger’s Ace Hardware

If you’ve never met a Swainson’s Hawk in person, this is your chance. Hawks Aloft, a New Mexico non-profit, traveled to Farmington Museum to conduct their education program to local children and their parents. Hawks A loft’s research provides valuable insight into the welfare of local raptor populations—through rescue, rehab and education. By Donna K. Hewett This story is sponsored by @BoonsFamilyThaiBBQ and Pop’s Truck and RV Center

On a windy Friday afternoon, Navajo Preparatory School hosted a dedication ceremony for the rebuilt hogan on the campus - a place that marries tradition with modernity and has already established itself as a home for the students who attend the Academy. With speeches from current and former students, state representatives, and community leaders, the celebration was a warm and welcoming as the crackling fire in the center of the hogan. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by CMIT Solutions and Service Master Restoration

Manna Soup Kitchen was founded over 20 years ago with a mission to feed people experiencing homelessness. While the heart of their mission hasn’t changed, the way Manna has gone about it has. From feeding people in church parking lots to their newest renovation, complete with a community garden, a place to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables to cook at home, and places to make phone calls and meet with service providers, Manna Soup Kitchen is committed to meeting people in the community where they are to get them back on their feet. This story is sponsored by Alpine Bank

The City of Durango has launched a new webpage to encourage community engagement with local issues. Durango School District 9R wants to hear from you about how you use their websites, Santa Claus is returning to Buckley Park for Singing with Santa, with a slight change from years before. And Southwest Colorado Gives wants to encourage local donations for this year’s Colorado Gives Day. This story is sponsored by Ute Mountain Casino Hotel and 2180 Lighting and Design Studio

It’s a simple idea: Get more kids on bikes. But first, you need the bikes. Through a national grant and a local-business partnership with Mountain Bike Specialists, Escalante Middle School made it happen. Thirty-five shiny new bikes have arrived at the school, and students are eagerly waiting for the first ride. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Pops Truck & RV Center and Serious Texas BBQ

The Durango Demons Football Team is heading into the postseason with just one loss on its resume. That 9-1 record earned the team a #2 seed in the Colorado High School Activities Association 3A playoff bracket. Durango can earn a trip to the Colorado State Championship game with three home wins. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Durango Hot Springs Resort and Spa and TBK Bank

D’DAT, a local music trio, were invited to the WOMAD World Festival experience in South Africa. Members collaborated with local artists, indigenous musicians, and more, learning and exchanging personal experiences and cultural perspectives. With a new album on the way inspired and produced during their trip, D’DAT wants to continue to explore themes and ideas they learned along the way. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Three Rivers Brewing and Pop’s Truck & RV Center

Fort Lewis College Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Pietrack will coach his 200th game as the Skyhawks Head Coach this season. Expectations are for the team to make another push for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title. Pietrack is 19 wins away from notching 150 wins as Head Coach. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by StoneAge and The Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado

San Juan Symphony opened their 37th season with a program devoted to French composers. Big and bold, it was the symphony’s largest assemblage in years, featuring Lili Boulanger, Erik Satie, Claude Debussy, Arthur Honegger, and the concert’s center piece: Maurice Ravel’s Bolermo! By Donna K. Hewett.

EnergySmart Colorado is offering free energy assessments to residents as the weather turns colder, LPEA has opened applications for high school juniors to represent the Coop at the National Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. this summer. A new website is launched for the River City Hall project, and the 2022 EDIE Awards are announced. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by The Law Firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan, and Foley and Happy Pappy’s Pizza and Wings

Karin Romero, the Aquatics Coordinator at the Community Recreation Center, was recently awarded the National Lifesaving Award by the Red Cross, one of the highest awards from the organization. The award recognized Romero’s lifesaving work when a 5-year-old boy was drowning at the Recreation Center pool this summer. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by 2180 Lighting and Design Studio and Pop’s Truck and RV Center