Skills USA Competition Explores Trades

The Durango Chamber of Commerce played an active role to support local businesses as they struggled through closures during the pandemic. Chamber Executive Director Jack Llewellyn explains all the changes the organization made during the past year in this first edition of Chamber Chat, brought to you by Durango Local News.

Paul and Jackie Beasley purchased Tile Art & Light Art about 10 years ago with a fledgling workshop where the former owners had just started manufacturing quartz, quartzite and marble slabs into custom countertops. Now, it's a mainstay of their business, and they recently moved to an expanded shop in Three Springs. Sponsored by The Payroll Department and Kroegers Ace Hardware

Southwest Colorado non-profit, 4 The Children, provides support and advocacy for neglected and abused children. They say abuse reports are on the rise, and are launching a fund-raising and volunteer-recruitment campaign during Child Abuse Awareness Month is April. Sponsored by Whole Health Family Medicine Clinic and the Timbers at Edgemont Highlands. Sponsored by Whole Health Family Medicine Clinic and the Timbers at Edgemont Highlands.

As a Durango Fire Protection District captain, Jim Anderson is in charge of coordinating training sessions for his crews, and he says the new training facility next to the fire station in Bodo will be a game-changer for the men and women who respond to medical and fire emergencies in our community. Sponsored by Bank of the San Juans

Durango psychologist Stacy Reuille-Dupont knows that mind and emotions affect physical health, and physical health contributes to emotional well-being. But getting clients to incorporate both was a challenge. That's why she opened Studio B. Sponsored by 2180 Lighting and Design Studio and Serious Texas BBQ

Sometimes you can find the silver lining behind the dark cloud of the pandemic. The Demon Debate Team certainly did. When COVID travel restrictions forced all the tournaments onto Zoom, the Demons could participate without travel expenses, and five of the 11 team members qualified for the national tournament in June.

The old saying goes that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, that's not necessarily true, but if breakfast is a necessary start to your day, PHD Weight Loss Founder Ashley Lucas advises you to avoid cereal and cold milk, bagels, and other high carb foods to keep your energy going.

In this edition of #LPEAwire, LPEA CEO Jessica Matlock answers some of your questions on LPEA's power supply, power reliability, and power costs, in the wake of the rolling blackouts in Texas.

The Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado experienced unprecedented support from donors in 2020 in response to the needs that arose during the pandemic.

“Serial entrepreneur” Mark “Pappy” Anderson loves his latest venture: A family-friendly pizza joint that happens to serve up a mean batch of chicken wings and healthy salads, too.

A proposal to raise the lodger’s tax from 2% to 5.25% will increase funding the creative district and encourage “shoulder-season” tourism. Written by Hannah Robertson

When wrestlers hit the mat for a match, it's one against one. But two Demon wrestlers say they never would have made it to the state championship finals had it not been for the efforts of their teammates and coaches.

They did it. KSUT Public Radio and its supporters raised $1.5 million to match a $1 million challenge grant from the Southern Ute Indian Tribe to build a modern media center that will allow the station to expand local news and public affairs programming about and for the Four Corners.

Durango Police urge residents to lock their cars in the wake of a dramatic increase in car thefts and car burglaries.

Kelly Gregory waited more than 20 years to realize her dream of owning a food-service business or a restaurant. The pandemic gave her the opportunity to just that when she began operating out of the Dolores River Brewery kitchen two nights a week. By LNN News Director Deborah Uroda; Editor Zach Marqua

Liane Jollon, executive director of San Juan Basin Public Health, received national recognition from the American Medical Association for her work to mitigate the pandemic in Southwest Colorado and her advocacy for public health agencies across the state. Footage courtesy of American Medical Association, San Juan Basin Public Health & The Durango Herald

Given the changes across the country in how college's operate, how is COVID affecting the way students apply to colleges, and how are colleges working to help them? Written by Hannah Robertson

Durango School District 9-R is one of only eight school districts in Colorado to be awarded a Regional Air Quality Council grant to purchase an electric school bus. Find out how it will benefit the district's sustainability goals and financial bottom line. Written by Deborah Uroda and Edited by Zach Marqua

Durango Police Officer Jonathan Mizner grew up in Florida and worked as a Manatee County sheriff's deputy before hiring on in Durango, and he relishes the differences between the two environments.

If Cortez could have a cultural motto, town leaders may want to consider City of Murals. Find out how artists transformed walls, even houses, into works of art.