Durango Local News

A former Farmington grocery store has become a hub for local youth sports, thanks to the Pennington family. The Penningtons have owned the building since the 1980s and began converting it into practice space for their children's volleyball and baseball teams before opening it up to the wider community.

Today, Empire Athletics offers batting cages, volleyball and pickleball courts, a yoga studio and a gym, with a new turf field proje...

On Wednesday, August, 19 EsoTerra Arboretum hosts Vinyasa and Vines, an all-levels yoga class paired with wine and cheese from 6 to 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, August 22, Durango Natural Foods hosts its annual Harvest Festival at Rotary Park from 2 to 7 p.m. And on Sunday, August 23, St. Paul's Lutheran Church hosts a community open house celebrating a newly renovated sanctuary from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a catered lunch from Zia Taq...

Colorado's "Negligently Luring Bears" law, House Bill 1342, cracks down on people who attract wild bears. The law lowers the legal standard from "intentional" to "knowing" behavior, removes the automatic warning first-time offenders used to receive, and raises the fine for repeat violations from $2,000 to $5,000.

By Sadie Smith 

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This story is sponsored by the FLC Center for Innovation and Sky Ute Casi...

Durango Nordic and Durango DEVO host the city's first ever mountain bike biathlon on Saturday, August 15, at Animas High School. The La Plata County Fair wraps up with the Demolition Derby Saturday afternoon at Sky Ute Fairgrounds in Ignacio. And the Durango Arts Center hosts the inaugural Kirk James Music Celebration Sunday, August 16, at Ska Brewing benefiting KSUT Public Radio and Stillwater Music youth scholarships.

By Sadie Smi...

Aztec Riverside BMX aims to break ground this October on a two-acre, city-owned lot for a new BMX track, giving local children a home course instead of long drives to Durango or Albuquerque to race. The nonprofit is working with USA BMX to design the track to national standards. Beyond race day, organizers plan a loaner bike fleet, Strider races for the youngest riders and a school partnership teaching children how bikes work throu...

Table to Farm Compost is a Durango based climate activist business that has been turning food scraps into compost since 2016. Co-owner Monique DiGiorgio was recently named the 2025 Entrepreneur of the Year by Southwest Colorado Rocks for her leadership in growing the company to more than 800 subscribers and achieving the highest level of compost certification in Colorado. The company offers curbside pickup of food scraps and transf...

The La Plata County Fair runs Wednesday to Sunday, August 5 through 9, at the fairgrounds. Durango Nursery and Supply  is partnering with the La Plata County Humane Society for their Dog Days of Summer Sale through Saturday, August 8. And the Community Concert Hall at the Park wraps up its summer season this Thursday with the Mojo Birds at Buckley Park.

By Sadie Smith

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This story is sponsored by Freddy...

Living in southwest Colorado means the risk of fire and flood is never far from home.

First responders and firefighters are currently fighting the Rio Blanco Fire, located 12 miles south of Pagosa Springs. The lightning-caused fire started on Tuesday, July 28, and as of Thursday evening, it has grown to 781 acres with 0% containment. 

Nearly a year ago, communities just west of town experienced a similar threat: the Oak Fire, fu...

The Powerhouse Science Center hosts rock band ORA on Wednesday as part of its weekly Community Concert Series. The Durango Brewers Trail Series wraps up on Thursday with the High Trestle Brewing Series Finale at Overend Mountain Park. And the 7th Annual Buckley Park Arts and Crafts Festival closes out the week on Saturday with local artisans and makers.

By Sadie Smith

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This story is sponsored by Dunkin Donu...

Fort Lewis College has been selected as one of five rural Colorado colleges to participate in CO-WIL, the Colorado Work-Integrated Learning Consortium. The three-year pilot program connects students with real employer projects inside the classroom, allowing them to earn a minimum $250 stipend while getting academic credit. The state intentionally selected rural colleges first, with the goal of scaling the program statewide if succe...

This week, Durango has a free outdoor concert, a boozy peach brunch and tickets on sale for an intimate songwriter festival. The Jon Stickley Trio performs Thursday, July 23, at Buckley Park as part of the Community Concert Hall at the Park free concert series. On Sunday, July 26, Graze Colorado hosts Peaches and Prosecco, a three course boozy brunch celebrating Palisade peach season. And the San Juan Songwriter Festival comes to d...

Analyss Benally grew up in Shiprock on the Navajo Nation and went on to play Division I basketball at San Jose State before launching her professional basketball career in Europe. Today, her nonprofit, AB Five Basketball, brings free camps and clinics to Native youth across the Southwest.

This summer, AB Five returned to Shiprock with volunteer coaches, including former Los Angeles Lakers guard Andre Ingram.

By Tanner Waite

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The City of Durango Parks and Recreation Department hosts a free community celebration Friday, July 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Durango Recreation Center featuring food and drinks, live music, games and more to celebrate Parks and Recreation Month. On Saturday July 18, Durango Nordic hosts a running biathlon at the Durango Nordic Center combining trail running with laser rifle shooting. And the 91st annual Durango Fiesta Days Rodeo...

Lickety-Split Comedy is a comedy and improv group based in Pagosa Springs, founded by veteran performers Karisa Bruin and Scott Morehead. After years of working as improvisers, actors and writers in Chicago and Los Angeles, the two moved to Pagosa Springs and launched Lickety-Split. The group offers classes and workshops in unscripted theater as well as monthly shows on the third Monday of each month at Pagosa Springs Center for th...

Under the sandstone bluffs of Farmington, a professional musical theater company draws record crowds with its production of "Grease." Artistic Director Randy West sits down to talk about how Four Corners Musical Theater grew from a request by city leaders seven years ago into New Mexico's only professional musical theater company, and why he says nights at Sandstone, rainbows and all, are unlike any other stage in the state.

By Tann...

This week, the Total Archery Challenge comes to Purgatory Resort July 10 through 12. The 72nd annual Four Corners Gem and Mineral Show runs July 10 through 12 as well, bringing 67 dealers from around the world to the La Plata County Fairgrounds. And on Monday July 13, the La Plata County Farm Bureau will host a free drought response presentation at the fairgrounds featuring the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

By Sadie Smith

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Mancos United started in response to tragedies the Mancos community experienced in 2021. From there, the organization worked to identify gaps in support for families and kids. Their flagship program, Summer Hub, provides full-day summer care for working families on a pay-what-you-can model, funded by community donations and business sponsorships.

By Sadie Smith

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This story is sponsored by Keesee Motor Compa...

The Mancos BurroFest returned for its seventh year and drew in over 2,500 attendees for a day of art, food, music, and burros. What began in 2019 as a small gathering of local artist-ranchers has grown into the Mancos Creative District's number one fundraiser and the biggest sales day of the year for many local galleries and restaurants. 

This year's theme, the Burro Birthday Bash, celebrates Colorado's 150th birthday with Colo...