Hollywood Stars Start Dgo PlayFest

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

The Buzz Bus has begun making its rounds once more in Durango, now operated by The Hive. Originally a service provided by the City of Durango, the Buzz Bus provides an alternative to driving impaired, picking up and dropping off people for free. Since it restarted in spring, the Buzz Bus has become a staple on the streets of town on the weekends. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by The Payroll Department and Tafoya Barrett & Associates

A makerspace is what it sounds like, a space to create and make…well, just about anything! At the Big Idea, 3D printers, a fully-stocked woodshop, laser printers, and more combine to create a space to design, create, and develop any variety of projects and more! By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Pop’s Truck and RV Center and The Big Idea at San Juan College

Now this is a new take on birdies and eagles. Big Brothers Big Sisters will drop more than a hundred golf balls at Dalton Ranch for a fund-raiser in August. Adopt your ball now! This story is sponsored by StoneAge Tools and the Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado

Animas High School has a new building, finally. After starting in a strip mall and moving to modular trailers, the school, through funding from a BEST grant, will now have a permanent location for students. Construction began last spring, and while there is still more to be done, the building already more than shows the promise of a new space for students. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by The Norm Phillips Team, at Draper & Kramer Mortgage and ServiceMaster Restore

The Durango City Council reviews Lodgers Tax refund ideas and mulls ballot language for a possible tax question on the November ballot. Fort Lewis College receives a substantial grant that will cover four scholarships every year for the next 10 years, and the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally returns. This story is sponsored by Tafoya, Barrett & Associates and the law firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan and Foley

How will mortgage rate increases affect real-estate sales in Durango and La Plata County? Well, that depends, says Alpenglow Properties' Dan Korman.