RoundUp for Teachers, a brainstorm from this year’s Leadership La Plata class, aims to fill the much-needed gap between teachers’ salaries and their cost of living. Inspired by similar movements on the Front Range, RoundUp for Teachers encourages local shoppers to round up their purchases at participating stores throughout the month of March. The end goal is to help teachers in Durango and La Plata County earn a sustainable, living wage through informational campaigns. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Happy Pappy's Pizza & Wings and Pop's Truck & RV Center

How high will interest rates rise and what does that mean for the Durango real estate market? Dan Korman of Alpenglow Properties discusses interest rates, active listings, sold homes, and pricing for single family homes in February. This story is sponsored by Alpenglow Properties, LLC

Durango School District 9-R has released the plan to make-up the missing school contact hours from the snow days earlier this year. Flowstone Education, a nonprofit out of Pagosa Springs aiming to bring unique experiences to low-income and minority youths has announced its schedule of events for 2023, and the winners of the Department of Motor Vehicles Historic Colorado license plate design contest are announced. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Tafoya Barrett and Associates and 2180 Lighting and Design Studio

The Colorado Brewers Guild Collaboration Fest returns for a second year in 2023, after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. Ska Brewing is partnering with long-time colleague but first-time collaborator, Cannonball Creek Brewing for its entry into this year's festival. The two brewers are releasing a West Coast Pils for the event, and in limited quantities in the Four Corners and out of the Cannonball Creek taproom in Golden, Colorado. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Tafoya Barrett & Associates and Pop’s Truck & RV Center

The Lor Foundation is awarding rural farmers and ranchers in Colorado and New Mexico grants to implement innovative water solutions. LOR believes those closest to a problem—Western farmers and ranchers in this case—have the best solutions. Through the Field Work initiative, farmers and ranchers in rural parts of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming are eligible for up to $10,000 to implement innovative water projects. The goal is to find the best solutions for using water to grow food in the West. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Southwest Health System and TruWest Auto