WATTS UP: Increase Comfort, Save Costs

Noel Night is back, this time for a whole day, as it celebrates 20 years of encouraging local holiday shopping. The Durango Business Improvement District is bringing back its Holiday Rewards Program, and San Juan Basin Public Health is recognized for its efforts in making medical care accessible to more women in the community. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by The Law Firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan & Foley and Serious Texas BBQ

A helicopter landing on the DHS baseball field brought some buzz to the school’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) program and a new student-led medical club. Students looked inside the helicopter, met the crew and participated in a Q&A with an in-flight nurse and pilot. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Happy Pappy’s Pizza & Wings and Kroeger’s Ace Hardware

If you’ve never met a Swainson’s Hawk in person, this is your chance. Hawks Aloft, a New Mexico non-profit, traveled to Farmington Museum to conduct their education program to local children and their parents. Hawks A loft’s research provides valuable insight into the welfare of local raptor populations—through rescue, rehab and education. By Donna K. Hewett This story is sponsored by @BoonsFamilyThaiBBQ and Pop’s Truck and RV Center

On a windy Friday afternoon, Navajo Preparatory School hosted a dedication ceremony for the rebuilt hogan on the campus - a place that marries tradition with modernity and has already established itself as a home for the students who attend the Academy. With speeches from current and former students, state representatives, and community leaders, the celebration was a warm and welcoming as the crackling fire in the center of the hogan. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by CMIT Solutions and Service Master Restoration

Manna Soup Kitchen was founded over 20 years ago with a mission to feed people experiencing homelessness. While the heart of their mission hasn’t changed, the way Manna has gone about it has. From feeding people in church parking lots to their newest renovation, complete with a community garden, a place to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables to cook at home, and places to make phone calls and meet with service providers, Manna Soup Kitchen is committed to meeting people in the community where they are to get them back on their feet. This story is sponsored by Alpine Bank

The City of Durango has launched a new webpage to encourage community engagement with local issues. Durango School District 9R wants to hear from you about how you use their websites, Santa Claus is returning to Buckley Park for Singing with Santa, with a slight change from years before. And Southwest Colorado Gives wants to encourage local donations for this year’s Colorado Gives Day. This story is sponsored by Ute Mountain Casino Hotel and 2180 Lighting and Design Studio

It’s a simple idea: Get more kids on bikes. But first, you need the bikes. Through a national grant and a local-business partnership with Mountain Bike Specialists, Escalante Middle School made it happen. Thirty-five shiny new bikes have arrived at the school, and students are eagerly waiting for the first ride. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Pops Truck & RV Center and Serious Texas BBQ

The Durango Demons Football Team is heading into the postseason with just one loss on its resume. That 9-1 record earned the team a #2 seed in the Colorado High School Activities Association 3A playoff bracket. Durango can earn a trip to the Colorado State Championship game with three home wins. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Durango Hot Springs Resort and Spa and TBK Bank

D’DAT, a local music trio, were invited to the WOMAD World Festival experience in South Africa. Members collaborated with local artists, indigenous musicians, and more, learning and exchanging personal experiences and cultural perspectives. With a new album on the way inspired and produced during their trip, D’DAT wants to continue to explore themes and ideas they learned along the way. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Three Rivers Brewing and Pop’s Truck & RV Center

Fort Lewis College Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Pietrack will coach his 200th game as the Skyhawks Head Coach this season. Expectations are for the team to make another push for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title. Pietrack is 19 wins away from notching 150 wins as Head Coach. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by StoneAge and The Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado

San Juan Symphony opened their 37th season with a program devoted to French composers. Big and bold, it was the symphony’s largest assemblage in years, featuring Lili Boulanger, Erik Satie, Claude Debussy, Arthur Honegger, and the concert’s center piece: Maurice Ravel’s Bolermo! By Donna K. Hewett.

EnergySmart Colorado is offering free energy assessments to residents as the weather turns colder, LPEA has opened applications for high school juniors to represent the Coop at the National Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. this summer. A new website is launched for the River City Hall project, and the 2022 EDIE Awards are announced. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by The Law Firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan, and Foley and Happy Pappy’s Pizza and Wings

Karin Romero, the Aquatics Coordinator at the Community Recreation Center, was recently awarded the National Lifesaving Award by the Red Cross, one of the highest awards from the organization. The award recognized Romero’s lifesaving work when a 5-year-old boy was drowning at the Recreation Center pool this summer. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by 2180 Lighting and Design Studio and Pop’s Truck and RV Center

Fort Lewis College placed second overall at the 2022 Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships at Purgatory Resort, while winning gold medals in the Women’s Downhill and Team Relay disciplines. USA Cycling sanctioned the racing. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by StoneAge and Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado

Tiffany Miera, a fifth-grade math teacher at Needham Elementary School, is one of this year’s Milken Educator Award recipients, an award given to teachers who show exemplary teaching, leadership, and a drive for excellence in education. The award, which includes a $25,000 cash prize, was presented to Miera during an assembly in front of the entire school so that everyone could celebrate her success. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Serious Texas BBQ and Tafoya Barrett & Associates

Durango Transit Director Sarah Hill has been recognized as a Colorado Transit Champion of the Year. Durango Rocks nominations are due by October 31st, so make sure to nominate your favorite local business by then. And new traffic calming measures are in place at West Park Avenue as part of a pilot project to address speeding by motorists in the area. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Kroeger's Ace Hardware and Ute Mountain Casino Hotel

Bears are using the next few weeks to eat as many calories as possible before hibernation. That leads to more bear encounters in residential areas during the fall months. Colorado Parks and Wildlife says residents can reduce the risk of attracting bears by being cautious about how they dispose of trash and being aware of food sources that attract bears. This story is sponsored by The Man Cave Barber and The Payroll Department

Competitive video gaming, known as eSports, is now an officially sanctioned varsity sport in Colorado. Durango High School has fielded three teams who are competing against other schools across the state. With a low barrier to entry, the activity is an easy lift from a budgetary standpoint. Proponents point to teamwork, communication and inclusion as benefits the activity can offer students. This story is sponsored by Pops Truck and RV Center and The Payroll Department

The City of Durango and the Hive are hosting family-friendly, safe, Halloween fun this year. A new Transit bus has joined the fleet thanks to a grant from the Federal Transportation Administration and Colorado Department of Transportation, and the Bureau of Land Management has announced a plan for a prescribed burn on Animas City Mountain this week. This story is sponsored by The Man Cave Barber and Kroegers Ace Hardware

Community groups and school organizations shared the spotlight in a Homecoming parade on Main Ave. It was the first Homecoming parade in Durango in more than a decade. Groups like the Demons Marching Band, youth football and the DHS Black Students Alliance took part. This story is sponsored by Happy Pappy’s Pizza & Wings and the law firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowen, and Foley