Bond Issue 4A provided a boost of funds for schools in Durango, including Mountain Middle School. Through funding provided in part by the bond, Mountain Middle School added an additional 12,000 square feet of classroom space - including an outdoor classroom, a digital Makerspace, and more. The new construction finished just in time to welcome the 300 students, staff, and teachers for the 2022-2023 school year. This story is sponsored by Serious Texas BBQ and 2180 Lighting and Design

Durango High School announced the start of construction for the new IMPACT Career Center with a groundbreaking ceremony on September 19th. The new center will provide new space for career and technical exploration at the high school. The building, funded by Bond 4A funds, will provide new spaces for CTE classes, breakout spaces, and more. This story is sponsored by Kroegers Ace Hardware and The Norm Phillips Team, at Draper & Kramer Mortgage

Dial-A-Ride, a part of RoadRunner transit, has announced expanded service areas to better serve rural La Plata Residents. Table to Farm Compost is offering three months of free compost service in exchange for filling out a short survey, and LPEA is looking for area builders to partner with. Watch this story again and more at www.durangolocal.news/newsstories/dial-a-ride-expands-service-fall-balloon-glows. This story is sponsored by Tafoya & Barrett & Associates and the Man Cave Barber

Get ready to celebrate all things bicycle with the inaugural Spoketober celebration, a month-long series of citizens tours, jump-jamming, and more that highlights Durango's reputation as a top cycling destination in the nation. This story is sponsored by Ute Mountain Casino Hotel and the law firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan and Foley

The Four Corners Professional Women’s Summit returns for its fourth year with a new theme: Reinventing Yourself. The Summit, a conference for and by women in the four corners region, is a unique opportunity for professional networking and relationship-building. The theme for this year is purposefully open - allowing every attendee to choose their own definition of what it means to reinvent themselves. This story is sponsored by Ace Hardware of Farmington and Boon's Family Thai Barbecue

Chimney Rock National Monument will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a day of educational events and tours. Purgatory Resort announces its 2022-23 season opening date. And get your work done at the La Plata County Clerk and Reporter's Office before Fridays. This story is sponsored by Service Master Restore and TBK Bank

Fifteen lucky visitors recently toured what’s mostly unexcavated at Aztec Ruins National Monument. Aztec Ruins East normally is off limits because of its fragile archaeological resources. The great kiva is 16 feet high, and has nearly 300 rooms. By Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by Service Master Restore and Three Rivers Brewing

The Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado, along with municipal and county governments in the five-county area, hope to win an $87 million grant from the new federal Infrastructure and Jobs Act to build one of the largest regional fiber optics infrastructure projects in more than 20 years. This story is sponsored by TruWest Auto and the law firm of Downs McDonough Cowan and Foley

The City of Durango will pursue amendments to Horse Gulch open space easements to provide limited access to e-bikes, but the research required could take more than a year. In the meantime, lace up your hiking boots for guided tours to rarely visited sites in Canyons of the Ancients this fall. This story is sponsored by Tafoya Barrett & Associates and the Man Cave Barber

Organic melons and green chili are just some of the many fresh products grown and sold by Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, better known as NAPI, located six miles south of Farmington on 100,000 irrigated acres. By Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by SunRay Park & Casino and the Big Idea Makerspace

Walk into the main entrance at the old Smiley Middle School, and an auditorium that once hosted student performances and plays, now hosts a different kind of performance. Stop by and see the ArtRoom Collective. This story is sponsored by Ute Mountain Casino and Pop's Truck and RV Center

Get your hunger on! The Kiwanis Club of Durango will celebrate its 75th anniversary during the 68th annual Pancake Supper on September 15th. This story is sponsored by StoneAge Tools and Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado

The Rohwer Family was in the middle of planting season on their truck farm in Pleasantview when they were struck head-on in a tragic accident while on their way to their second week at the Durango Farmers Market. This year's crops could have died, but dozens of volunteers have rallied around the family to plant, harvest, and sell crops – and pull weeds, lots of weeds. This story is sponsored by Big-O Tires and the law firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan and Foley

As summer draws to a close, you can look forward to the Autumn Arts Festival, Hazardous Waste Collection, and the Cowboy Poetry Gathering. This story is sponsored by TBK Bank and The Payroll Department

A local group of climate change activists is on a mission to educate Four Corners Area residents about the incentives now available to them to play a significant role as individuals in reducing climate change. This story is sponsored by Happy Pappy's Pizza and Wings and The Payroll Department

Durango School District 9-R spent the summer making improvements in several schools using money from the bond referendum passed in November 2020. The projects focused on everything from improving safety features to helping create cleaner school spaces. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by 2180 Lighting & Design Studio and Serious Texas Barbecue

Students will be living on campus at San Juan College for the first time this fall. A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was hosted by the San Juan College Foundation. The community had an opportunity to tour the three-level, state-of the art facility, featuring a Great Hall, fancy elevators, and pergola-covered courtyard with a fireplace and a grill. By Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by CMIT Solutions and Boons Family Thai Barbecue.

The Durango City Council voted unanimously this month to ask voters to keep nearly $1.2 million in excess Lodgers Tax revenues, the majority of which will be used for affordable housing. This story is sponsored by Service Master Restore and The Norm Philips Team at Draper and Kramer Mortgage

The Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team, or WESST, was founded with the goals of helping women, people of color, and low-income New Mexicans learn about best business practices, to support new entrepreneurs with financial and business advice, and provide resources within their communities. Farmington’s WESST center in San Juan College’s Quality Center for Business assists local entrepreneurs at every step of their small-business journey. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Ute Mountain Casino Hotel and Service Master Restore

The Durango City Council has identified three priority areas that it has asked residents to rank as part of its proposal to ask voters to retain $1.3 million dollars in excess Lodgers Tax revenues; find out what they are. A new wildlife crossing on U.S. Highway 160 is expected to lower wildlife-vehicle collisions; and find out what's new at this year's San Juan Brewfest. This story is sponsored by the Man Cave Barber and Kroegers Ace Hardware