The Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum will host an opening reception tonight for its new show, Riders of the West, which features portraits from Indian rodeos.

The reception is from 5 to 7 p.m. at 503 Ouray Drive in Ignacio.

Next Friday, the museum will host Ute Storytelling, featuring stories told by Ute elders. That event is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 2, and is hosted by Southern Ute Royalty and the Royalty Committee.

In honor of March's designation as National Youth Art Month, the Pine River Library host an exhibition of art by Bayfield Middle and High School students from the classrooms of Kari Pepper and Kathleen Neal. The works will be on display until the end of the month, with a special artists' reception with refreshments from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 1. For more information on the school art display and artist reception call the library at (970) 884-2222, ext. 510.

Pine River Shares and the Pine River Library invite community members to a showing of the 2008 film Food Inc. from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The Oscar-nominated documentary looks at the food industry's harmful effects on human health and the environment. A free dinner will be provided and a discussion will follow the film. Attendees are invited to bring a dessert to share if they can.

For more information about the event, contact the library at 884-2222 ext. 510.

La Plata County Commissioner Gwen Lachelt will hold open office hours from noon to 2 p.m. Monday at the La Plata County Administration Building, 1101 East Second Ave.

Members of the public are encouraged to share input about issues in La Plata County.

For more information, call 382-6219.

Lenten ecumenical services will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesdays at area churches, including:

Feb. 28: Christ the King Lutheran Church, 495 Florida Road.March 7: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 2611 Junction St.March 14: First Presbyterian Church, 1159 East Third Ave.March 21: St. Columba Catholic Church, 1800 East Third Ave.A soup supper will be provided at 6:30 p.m. after each service.

For more information, call 247-4213.

A food-safety class for Colorado cottage food and egg producers will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. March 8 at La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2700 Main Ave.

The La Plata County Extension Office and Colorado Department of Health and Environment for Food Safety have partnered to hold the training.

The course will cover requirements for cottage food as a business. The cost is $35, and each participant will receive a certificate at the end of the class.

Registration deadline is at 5 p.m. Feb. 28. The class is limited to 30 people.

To register, call or email Wendy Rice at 382-6461 or wendy.rice@co.laplata.co.us.

The La Plata County Conservation District is accepting self-nominations from eligible residents who are interested to serve a four-year term on its board of directors.

Three director positions are available.

Nomination forms are available from the Durango Natural Resources Conservation Office at 31 Suttle St.

The deadline to submit nominations is March 2.

Also, forms for write-in candidates must be submitted by March 5, and applications for absentee ballots must be submitted by May 1 at the conservation office.

Board members will be elected May 8.

For more information, call 259-5466.