50 years ago: “Stephen Paul Showalter, 22, of Durango, was uninjured Monday afternoon when his car flipped on its side and skidded 45 feet. Patrolman Rollin Roth said Showalter was driving south on U.S. 550 when his car struck a rock in the highway at the Colorado-New Mexico state line. The car’s front tire blew out and the car went into the borrow ditch where it turned on its left side and started to skid.”

25 years ago: “Two men were injured Thursday afternoon when gas fumes apparently ignited by a water heater pilot light caused an explosion at Durango Car Care Center, 601 Sixth St. Terhan Bara, 26, was working inside the shop at the time of the explosion. Car Care Center owner Martha Siverson said Bara was on fire when he ran from the shop and co-workers shouted at him to roll in a snow bank to extinguish the flames. Bara was taken to Mercy Medical Center where he was listed in fair condition this morning suffering from first- and second-degree burns.”

Most items in this column are taken from Herald archives, Center of Southwest Studies and Animas Museum. Their accuracy may not be verified.