Grants for a More Sustainable Transit

The City of Durango received $100,000 from the Colorado Energy Office for its E-bike Rebate Program, which will double the number of rebates for 2024, and what better way to celebrate alternative transportation than with the Winter Bike To Work Day. Shake off those winter blues with Peace, Love, and Snowdown, January 26th through February 4th, and keep an eye out for counterfeit bills that have been reported in Durango. You're watching the Local News Roundup, brought to you by The Payroll Department and Dunkin' Donuts. I'm Gillian Arnwine. The Colorado Energy Office recently awarded the City of Durango $100,000 for the E-Bike Rebate program. The program aims to encourage more people to use alternative transportation by providing rebates to income-qualified individuals who ride E-bikes. The 2023 E-bike program offered a little over 50 rebates out of 200 applications, and the 2024 E-bike program is expected to offer 100 rebates. Many of the individuals who were a part of the 2023 Rebate Program relied on their E-bikes as their primary mode of transportation, reducing emissions, fuel costs, and traffic congestion. Applications for the 2024 program are expected to open mid-April. This year's Bike to Work Day is Friday, February 9th, with a whole day of fun planned for participants. Stations will now be hosted all day to accommodate all different commute times, be it work, school, or even errands. Bike To Work Day isn't just about work commutes, it's to encourage the use of sustainable transportation methods to get to your destination, wherever and whatever that may be. Use the Way To Go Durango app to find contests and a carpool buddy or two for those particularly cold days, or when you just want to hit the slopes at Purg. This year, the Business Commuter Challenge, February 3rd through 9th, will be tracked on the app as well, so make sure to sign up by February 3rd. If you're looking for a way to shake off the winter blues, come celebrate January 26th through February 4th for the 45th Annual Snowdown. This year's theme is Peace, Love, and Snowdown. The event originated in 1979 as a way to bring the community together for fun and festivities during Colorado's long winters. The week is packed with both free and ticketed events, including pillow fights, karaoke, tie dyeing, Snowdown follies, themed contests, and more. Visit the Snowdown website for the full schedule. The Durango Police Department has seen an uptick in counterfeit bills being passed at local businesses, with seven reported instances since the new year. The bills are primarily impacting North Main businesses. The false currency, which ranges from $10 bills to $100 bills, looks and feels like legal tender, but have the phrases, "For motion picture only," "Copy," "Prop use only," or, "Motion picture printed," on the bill. If you handle paper money regularly, make sure you're familiar with the U.S. currency security features. A counterfeit detector pen would've prevented all seven reported incidents. If you are passed a counterfeit bill or find one, the U.S. Secret Service recommends that you do not return it to the passer. Observe as much as you can, delaying them, if possible, and if safe, observe any companions and any license plates or vehicles used by the individuals. Contact the local police department, limit handling of the note as much as possible, and only surrender the tender to a police officer. Learn more about these and other stories online at durangolocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I'm Gillian Arnwine.