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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.

When students can't connect with why they're learning what they're learning, they become disengaged and perform poorly, but if they understand that their classes are a stepping stone to becoming what they want to be in life, they will be more successful. That's the idea behind Durango School District 9-R's new Portrait of a Graduate education plan. This story is sponsored by 2180 Lighting and Design and Kroegers Ace Hardware

The tourism industry rebound in the pandemic's wake last summer generated far more in Lodgers Tax revenues than TABOR allows. Voters may be asked to decide what to do with the money. Will the Camino del Rio underpass be delayed again? And you have only a few Fridays more to enjoy free movies in the park. This story is sponsored by Ute Mountain Casino and TBK Bank

We took a deep dive and looked at the naked truth behind the infamous Tico Time River RV Resort. What we discovered was that the noise and nudity complaints have abated—along with many changes. Now in its third season, the relaxed beach vibe is finally clicking for campers and neighbors alike. Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by Three Rivers Brewing and The Big Idea Makerspace

Laura Harper began writing the script for a film about Rambo, her once-wild mustang who came from the Carracas Mesa. As she learned more about Rambo’s past, she found parallels between the horses and the evolution of New Mexico’s history, as well as her own life in the Southwest. The resulting film, “RAMBO of the Carracas Mesa,” ties together New Mexico history, wild horses, and everyday people to tell the story of the mustangs of San Juan County. This story is sponsored by Distil Beer Wine Spirits and SunRay Park & Casino

Study finds that average annual wages in most employment sectors do not provide enough income to meet a family of four's basic needs. This story is sponsored by Happy Pappy's Pizza and Wings and the Man Cave Barber

The City of Durango's over-the-air television broadcasts of city council meetings may soon come to an end, but live broadcasts and video archives will still be available on the Internet. This story is sponsored by Serious Texas Barbecue, and the law firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan and Foley

The Durango Derailers. What started out as a way to say thank you has turned into an invaluable service to defray travel costs for families with children who need out-of-town medical treatments. This story is sponsored by Alpine Bank

San Juan County, the City of Farmington, and the Navajo Nation hope to bring a freight rail system to the Four Corners, and a $2 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will pay for a feasibility study, now in its early stages. Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by CMIT Solutions and Three Rivers Brewery

Dylan McClain and Dalton Bevill may have practical construction skills, but they wanted to do more to express their artistic side, so they joined forces to start Animas Artisans, a Design and Fabrication Studio. This story is sponsored by Ute Mountain Casino Hotel and The Norm Phillips Team, at Draper & Kramer Mortgage