“I Voted” Sticker Contest

High school students looking to flex their graphic design and art skills are invited to submit a new design for Colorado's I Voted electronic sticker. $134,000 from the Catalyst Housing Fund are going to support three more La Plata County workforce housing projects. Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles is collecting stuffed animals for the KOSI 101.1 Teddy Bear Patrol. And the Wibit Aqua Park at Lake Nighthorse closes for the season on September 2nd. You're watching the Local News Roundup, brought to you by Sky Ute Casino and FastSigns Durango. I'm Sadie Smith. There is still time left in the Colorado Secretary of State I Voted sticker design contest. Open to 13 through 18 year olds enrolled in a Colorado high school or homeschool program, the contest is to design a new I Voted sticker for the state of Colorado. The winning design will be featured in a statewide press release, media coverage, and ballot tracks messages. Artwork must be original artwork, nonpartisan, and must include the words I voted in the design. Submissions are due September 2nd at midnight. See the full list of rules and process for submission on the Secretary of State's website. The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles encourages Colorado residents to participate in a small act of kindness by donating new stuffed animals at DMV offices across the state through Wednesday, September 4th. This is the seventh year Colorado has participated in the KOSI 101.1 Teddy Bear Patrol. The stuffed animals will be collected and donated to local first responders and emergency teams to comfort children in times of need. Stuffed animals should be new and preferably in store packaging. 24 state offices are participating, including Durango's DMV. The La Plata Economic Development Alliance announced the awardees for the third round of the Housing Catalyst Funds. The Catalyst Fund is a public-private partnership to help create seed funding to support housing development in La Plata County. Catalyst Funds can help cover essential activities, such as feasibility studies, environmental assessments, site preparation, market analysis, surveys, legal fees, and more. This round of funding included $134,000 divided between the Animas mobile home park and Twin Buttes townhomes in Durango and Pine River Commons in Bayfield. Since its inception, the Catalyst Fund has awarded over $517,000 to various projects resulting in 464 workforce housing units developed or preserved. Round four of the Catalyst Fund will open in October with awards announced in November. The Wibit Aqua Park at Lake Nighthorse will close for the season on September 2nd. Removal will begin on September 3rd with portions of the swim beach closed to facilitate. The structure will be cleaned using watercraft decontamination equipment, and so, the station will not be available between September 3rd through 9th. Watercraft with green seals and corresponding receipts will still be allowed to launch during the closure. Inquire at your exit inspection to apply a green seal. Learn more about these and other stories online at durangolocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I'm Sadie Smith.