Associated Press - The Durango Herald

Longtime festivalgoers say the final Sundance in Utah may also be their last

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Attendees at this year's Sundance Film Festival could not stand in line, step onto a shuttle bus or walk into a lounge without hearing one common question: “Will you g...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Trump says US used secret weapon to disable Venezuelan equipment in Maduro raid

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said the U.S. used a secret weapon he called “The Discombobulator” to disable Venezuelan equipment when the U.S. captured Nicolás Maduro. Trump also ...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Brock Nelson has hat trick in NHL-leading Avalanche's 4-1 win over Maple Leafs

TORONTO (AP) — Brock Nelson scored twice in a 1:12 span in the first period and sealed his fifth career hat trick with an empty-netter in the Colorado Avalanche's 4-1 victory over the Toront...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Minnesota CEOs issue joint letter urging de-escalation in Minnesota after shooting

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies including Target, Best Buy and UnitedHealth signed an open letter posted on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce website on Sunday...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Row erupts within UK's governing Labour Party after popular mayor blocked from upcoming election

LONDON (AP) — A row erupted Sunday within Britain's governing Labour Party after the ambitious mayor of Manchester was prevented from trying to re-enter Parliament at a special election in t...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

'Mercy' unseats 'Avatar: Fire & Ash' atop the box office on snow-blanketed weekend in theaters

NEW YORK (AP) — With a winter storm blanketing a large swath of the country, Hollywood had its quietest weekend of the year at the box office. The Amazon MGM sci-fi thriller “Mercy” dethrone...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Carney says Canada has no plans to pursue free trade agreement with China as Trump threatens tariffs

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday his country has no intention of pursuing a free trade deal with China. He was responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threa...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Dr. William Foege, leader in smallpox eradication, dies

ATLANTA (AP) — Dr. William Foege, a leader of one of humanity's greatest public health victories — the global eradication of smallpox — has died. Foege died Saturday in Atlanta at the age of...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Videos of deadly Minneapolis shooting contradict government statements

Videos quickly emerged showing the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis protester by a Border Patrol agent that has been widely denounced as a case of excessive force carried out by untrained fed...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

France detains captain of suspected Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker seized in Mediterranean

PARIS (AP) — The captain of a tanker intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea by the French navy on suspicion of shipping oil in violation of sanctions against Russia was being held in custody o...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Scotty James win a fifth straight Winter X title, matches Shaun White with his eighth gold there

Snowboarder Scotty James parlayed a never-before-landed trick combination into his fifth straight X Games title on the halfpipe on Saturday and tied Shaun White with eight overall gold medal...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

American rock climber Alex Honnold reaches top of Taipei 101 skyscraper without ropes

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — American rock climber Alex Honnold ascended the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Sunday without any ropes or protective equipment. Cheers erupted from a street-level crowd as h...

DATE: Jan 25, 2026 | CATEGORY: Associated Press

Colorado history gets weird, wild, wacky at Fashion Do’s and Don’tsAnnual Snowdown event has become so popular, auditions are now required

Cowboys. Fancy ladies. Gold miners. Even-toed ungulates that some in Durango might consider more like rats.Where can you find a runway show that takes you on a whirlwind tour through the weird, wacky and wildly exaggerated 150 years of Colorado history? Only at Durango’s annual Fashion Do’s and Don’ts, held Wednesday, where models and audience members wore costumes celebrating Colorado’s sesquicentennial – the theme of this year’s two-week Snowdown celebration.Standout acts included the Ghosts of Durango, which featured four of Durango’s most famous ghosts: a Rochester hotel ghost in a Victorian get-up of a more “modern” variation; the Strater Hotel’s head of housekeeping, also head of more discreet services; a young girl haunting El Rancho’s bathroom; and Sheriff Bob Thompson, killed in a 1906 gunfight. according to emcee Suzan Lane. A Another act was the Secret Circus Society, featuring Rubi Starr, Jeni Gross, Tabatha Joy Bettin, Adrienne Young and Ethan Deffenbaugh dressed as a car and the roadside pests better known as deer. Group members said the inspiration for the costume came from lived experiences driving Durango roads. The two-person Cantine Couture act starred Leslie Ponce and Tyler Frakes in an homage to the plentiful variety of Mexican restaurants found in any Colorado town. Ponce, dressed in comically large Mexican pointy cowboy boots, ambled down the runway as if taking a stroll under the hot, dusty, high-altitude sun, while Frakes flitted about the stage in a bright yellow salsa dress. Ponce said this year’s costume had been tough to decide, but the final decision was inspired by TikTok videos of Mexican cowboys in pointy boots. This was the duo’s third year strutting down the runway. Why they keep coming back for more, Frakes said laughing, was, “for the fame, the glory and the attention.”

Fashion Do’s and Don’ts has been one of the most highly anticipated Snowdown events since its inception in the 1990s. It has more than doubled in size over the past several decades. Last year, there were a record number of models, and in order to keep the event at a manageable size, this year’s fashion show was the first one to require the acts to audition. But many of the models were unfazed by the change. “It was actually easy,” said Jodi Zuber, one part of the two-person duo that made up the 1950s Texas Invader Ski Couple. Her partner-in-costume, Danny Jaques, said they had been doing this for several years, and it’s good with everything going on in the world to “get some levity and let your hair down.” The performers were not the only ones in costume. Audience members also dressed in a wide variety of unique takes on what makes Colorado, Colorado. JonBenet Ramsey made a miraculous appearance, being played by an 82-year-old woman, as did Casa Bonita, an ensemble that included a taco, sopaipilla and gorilla in chains – to name some of the characters. By the end of the show, people were in high spirits, as usual. “It was just delightful,” said a first-time audience member. If blessed with the chance to get the much coveted tickets – he said he would jump on it. jbowman@durangoherald.com

Annual Snowdown event has become so popular, auditions are now required

Photos: Snowdown 2026 Fashion Do’s and Don’ts

Photos: Durango High School basketball teams lose to Montrose High School

Photos: Local girls high school wrestling at La Plata TriDurango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Durango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Photos: Fort Lewis College women’s and men’s basketball take on Westminster UniversityBoth Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Both Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Photos: An afternoon in 2004 with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell as he works on Capitol HillDurango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Durango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Photos and video: ICE protests return to DurangoAbout a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday

About a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday

The Durango Herald’s year in photos 2025

Photos: Chapman Hill fires up the snow guns

Longtime festivalgoers say the final Sundance in Utah may also be their last

Trump says US used secret weapon to disable Venezuelan equipment in Maduro raid

Brock Nelson has hat trick in NHL-leading Avalanche's 4-1 win over Maple Leafs

Minnesota CEOs issue joint letter urging de-escalation in Minnesota after shooting

Row erupts within UK's governing Labour Party after popular mayor blocked from upcoming election

'Mercy' unseats 'Avatar: Fire & Ash' atop the box office on snow-blanketed weekend in theaters

Carney says Canada has no plans to pursue free trade agreement with China as Trump threatens tariffs

Dr. William Foege, leader in smallpox eradication, dies

Videos of deadly Minneapolis shooting contradict government statements

France detains captain of suspected Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker seized in Mediterranean

Scotty James win a fifth straight Winter X title, matches Shaun White with his eighth gold there

American rock climber Alex Honnold reaches top of Taipei 101 skyscraper without ropes

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